Into the Twilight
by LyraCat
Summary: "I'm not letting you go," he whispered to her as the twilight consumed them. Link grasped the Twili while the Mirror cracked; their bodies dissipating into the other realm together, seemingly forever separating the Hero from his homeland and binding him to the woman he clung to… Little did the two know his actions might lead to the slow and painful destruction of Link's very being.
1. Adventus

**A/N: Thanks for checking out this fanfiction! ^w^ This story has a few universe alterations (so it's UA) and takes place post-Twilight Princess. Don't read it if you haven't finished the game! There are also spoilers for Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword, so that's just a little heads up.**  
 **So here starts the beginning of my first multichapteral story. I do so hope you enjoy it! :3**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 _Falling to Twilight  
Two bound to one another  
Always together_

* * *

"Link..." A single shining tear slowly slid from the face of the Twilight Princess. Instead of falling to the ground, the golden light of sorrow hovered in front of her for a moment, its gleam bright in the dimming glow of the evening. "I…" she lifted her hand, gently pushing the drop of precious liquid towards the intricately carved surface of the mystical Mirror. The drop drifted, sparkling in the hour of twilight. "See you later…"

Not a moment after the words left her lips, the tear made contact with the center of the reflective relic, cracks forming where it had touched and quickly radiating outward. The Light dwellers shifted their gazes from that of the Twili and stepped towards the Mirror while the surface fractured.

The realization of what was happening struck Link just as hard and painfully as his first transformation into the beast of legends not long after Hyrule had succumbed to twilight by the hand of a false king. He spun to face the one who had joined him on his journey throughout land, sky, time, and even dimensions themselves, his expression distraught, and hers like a mirror – the Mirror – reflecting the sadness in his blue eyes, antithesis of the Twili's which were threatening to overflow with sorrow.

The Hero quickly undid the worn leather baldric that held the Master Sword and accompanying shield to his back, letting the heroic items fall to the ancient stone of the Mirror Chamber. The clattering of metal brought with it the shocked gazes of royalty. Link knew a future Hero would need the Blade of Evil's Bane, and understood that leaving it in the care of Hyrule's wisest one was best. Knowledgeable that each second was vital, he sprinted up the glowing steps as the two rulers watched in utter shock.

"Link!" The Princesses shouted in unison, their voices the only sound reverberating throughout the timeworn structure.

Zelda took a step forward, reaching for the Hero but quickly giving up the chase; realizing that she wouldn't catch him in time and knew it was unwise to risk leaving her country without a ruler. Meanwhile, Midna's mouth was agape as the green clad one came rushing towards her. He lunged for the Twili, arms wrapping around her torso tightly as he clung to tall body; his face buried in the bright flaming hair of hers that was tied across the Twili's chest in the same shackle that bound it in a ponytail when Midna had resided in the body of an imp.

She, over a full head higher than he, looked down at Link with surprise as the Hero quietly mumbled into her form, "I'm not letting you leave me."

With those words the two began to disintegrate into the Twilight. The Mirror shone brightly, drawing them into the other realm. Zelda looked at the Hero sadly, but nodded subtly, understanding his decision and respecting the choice he made. There was nothing was left for Link in the land of Hyrule.

Midna was still in shock at his actions, but try as she might, she couldn't shake the Light dweller free and before they knew it, Hyrule, as was the Mirror, were gone.

* * *

Their arrival was far from graceful.

The two tumbled into the Twilight, head over heels as the Hero desperately hung onto the body of the royal Twili while they rolled a good three or four meters. After they had come to a stop, Midna was atop Link, her larger body crushing his smaller form and knocking the wind out of him. The two were bruised and blooded from the fall, clothes torn and hair disheveled. The ruler pushed herself up a moment after they had stilled, crown askew as she stood to look down at Link. The Princess of Twilight placed her hands to her forehead, pushing her messy orange hair back while she paced around the Hero. He took a few deep breaths to fill his empty lungs then slowly and carefully propped himself into a sitting position.

"You idiot!" Midna shrieked, spinning on her heel and throwing her arms out as she looked to where he sat, eyes wide for a moment after the shock from the Twili's outburst.

"I'm sorry," Link said quietly, holding his elbow that was covered in blood and grit from their fall. His gaze drifted with his words.

"No, you don't understand. I, the true leader of the Twili, have just utterly shattered the Mirror of Twilight. Link, you can _never_ return to Hyrule. Your home, family—"

"You're my family!" he shouted, cutting her off. Midna stared down at the Hero in surprise. He glared back with his deep blue eyes; feral like the beast she had introduced herself to in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle. The Princess was silent for a moment before stuttering a single word.

"W-What?"

"Midna, _you_ are my family. Our journey together… It's brought me closer to you than I to anyone in my entire life. As for a home, I never really felt I had one. I lived at the outskirts of my village, and after seeing Hyrule covered in Twilight, although it is back to normal, I can never forget the pain the people had to struggle through, even if they may not have been, or will ever be, aware of what truly happened. I need somewhere new… somewhere that I can be close to your side. I left of my own free will, so please… just please don't hate me. If you really want to, send me off to the furthest reaches of your kingdom if you truly wish to be rid of me." Link finished his small speech, still looking to the Twili before him, yet his gaze was no longer harsh and piercing but instead soft and sorrowful.

Midna's face relaxed, a weak smile creeping up the corners of her mouth. She knelt beside Link a moment later, tearing off a piece of her already ruined cloak and grabbing his bloodied arm.

"What are you—"

"Hold still," she interrupted, spitting on the wound. He tried to pull away but she held his arm firmly with her strong grip.

"Midna!"

"Calm down. I'm just getting rid of the debris. You don't want this to fester, do you? Honestly, sometimes I wish you would go back to being a wolf and maybe even stay that way for good. Your instincts should tell you to lick your wounds," she spoke while wiping the injury clean then wrapping the fabric of her once beautiful mantle around his arm. He grunted when she pulled it tight. "There. I often wonder how you managed to survive before I came along." Link lifted his arm, inspecting the bandage before returning his gaze to her fiery eyes.

"Don't you mean you wonder how I managed to survive _after_ you came along? I had a peaceful village life before I met you, you know?" the Hero jested.

"Yes, and it wasn't peaceful for very long, now was it? No matter what would have happened, you'd end up transforming into a beast at some point once the Twilight covered all of Hyrule. Without me, you'd have starved to death in that dungeon. _I_ saved _you_."

"Don't forget I brought you to Zelda in your hour of need. I saved you as well. Debt paid," he rebutted, head held high.

"Zelda's the one that sacrificed something for me. You just went to her because Lanayru told you to," the Twili said with a playful sneer.

Link pouted, unable to come up with a good retort to her words.

Midna began to laugh. Although her form had changed, her chortle was still the same as the Hero remembered it, albeit a little deeper than when she occupied the cursed impish body Zant had given her. Her happiness was contagious and soon Link joined her. After a minute or so, she calmed herself, looking back at him with a thoughtful expression as his chuckles drifted.

"I'll be honest. I really didn't want to shatter the Mirror, separating Hyrule and my realm permanently, but I had little choice. If I left it, I ran the risk of another great catastrophe crossing between our worlds."

"I understand. I believe Zelda might have thought the same, in a way at least. After she placed her soul in your care, I think some of her wisdom maybe rubbed off onto you."

She playfully punched him in the shoulder. "So you're saying I'm not wise? I rule a kingdom too, you know."

Link shrugged innocently.

"Speaking of… Link, I'm not going to send you away to some corner of the Twilight Realm. I'm sorry I was so sharp."

"I kind of had gotten use to it to be honest," he replied, thinking back to her jeers throughout their journey. He was looking down at the bandage on his arm that now lay across his lap.

"Link, I'm being serious here. As much as I hate to say it, Zant was fairly high up on the authority ladder but still craved more power. Now that his position is vacant…" Midna drifted. Link's eyes went to her face. She held his blue gaze. "You'll stay at the palace."

"What?" He hadn't expected her decision. In truth, the Hero really didn't think his actions through when he ran to her side, for he only had a split second to make his choice, but he knew it'd be something he wouldn't regret.

"You'll take over Zant's position and in time, you could rise…" Midna was unsure how to express her thoughts, her eyes drifting from his towards the castle ahead of them. She left her words open ended just as she did when she shattered the Mirror. The Twili hoped one day she could tell him her true feelings, jealous of the courage the Hero was gifted with. Link listened attentively for her to continue, following her gaze for a moment then bringing his sight back to her as she turned to him once more.

"Anyway, we'll make this work. It's not like we have much of a choice, do we?" She smiled; her expression summoning memories in the mind of the Hero, making him recall her impish grin, single pointed tooth jutting out over her lip.

It was at that moment the Twili came rushing out into the open towards the two, hearing the commotion that had come to pass only minutes before. Midna stood as they approached, taking a step towards her people as they greeted their Princess warmly and with open arms. Link still sat, watching happily as the interactions between the ruler and her subjects played out. After a moment she turned to him, beckoning for the Hero to join that of the Twili.

Link pushed himself off the ground with a smile, making his way towards the Princess as the glow of the Twilight illuminated her bright face, crown still lopsided while she beamed joyfully.

This would be their life: a brand new journey side by side forevermore.


	2. Pax

**Chapter Two**

 _Pax…  
_ "Peace…"

* * *

Midna was surprised at how quickly Link had adjusted to the ways of her people. It's almost as if he was born one of their kind, the customs of the Twili coming naturally to the Hero.

Two months had passed since she shattered the Mirror. Occasionally the Princess wondered how Zelda and her kingdom were doing, but dismissed the thought knowing there was no way she could contact her Light counterpart as of now. Much had happened in the short time after Ganondorf's defeat and the moment that she and the Hero had tumbled into the Twilight realm. Midna thought back to the day she had essentially died at Ganondorf's hands and been reborn with the power of the Light Spirits. The Goddesses of Hyrule must still care for her people even though they had been banished to the other realm long ago.

She shook the thought of her tribe's history from her mind, vividly recalling the few hours between the transformation to her true form and that of her the departure from Hyrule…

* * *

"What? Say something! Am I so beautiful you've no words left?" She tried her best not to laugh in response to Link's shocked face, and was barely able to pull off a composed expression upon seeing the Hero's dumbfounded look. Of course he hadn't expected Midna to look like she did. The Princess of Twilight had never told him what her true form resembled, and was quite glad that she didn't. The face he displayed once he laid eyes on her was priceless. She giggled and since he truly was at a loss for words he stayed silent while simply smiling in response. Midna hadn't remembered the last time she saw that smile. Ever since Zant had sapped her powers, Link was more serious than usual throughout their journey, but now that it was over…

Sadness struck her, but the Twili didn't let it show. Midna would enjoy what little time she still had in the world of Light. Zelda approached, guiding Epona towards the two; the sound of hooves from the great horse snapping the Princess of another realm out of her thoughts and bringing her to the moment at hand. The Hylian leader gave the reigns to Link and then met the gaze of the other Princess. For a moment the three were silent, contemplating what was to be done now that the crisis was finally over.

"The Fused Shadows…" the ruler of the Light realm broke the quiet, voice drifting as her gaze went to where Ganondorf had entered the battlefield, relic crushed in his giant fists and falling to the dirt in pieces.

Midna pushed past the two blessed by the Goddesses, making her way to where the artifact had been abandoned at the moment of the Evil King's arrival to the field. The others watched her walk away in silence. After a moment they followed, Link stopping to pull the Blade of Evil's Bane from the corpse of the Gerudo man in the process. He wiped the blood clean and expertly slid it into the sheath on his back, turning to the rulers once more.

The Twili crouched over her ancestor's powerful dark magic, looking sadly to object partially buried in the dirt.

For a time it had been her crown.

The Princess picked up the remains of the stone mask that once adorned her cursed impish head. "Their power has been weakened greatly. Over time they will gain it once more, but for now they don't hold very much." She stood with her words, turning to face the two Light dwellers. Zelda's gaze went past that of Midna, looking towards the castle in the distance. No doubt she was concerned for her people, and the remaining three pieces of Fused Shadow were somewhere in the rubble.

Without a word the Twilight Princess snapped her fingers and the three disappeared into Twilight.

Her mind sped over the next events, as they held little importance to her in the whole of things: they materialized in the throne room, in truth, the damage to the castle from the explosion was far less severe than it had seemed from Hyrule Field, and the remaining Fused Shadows were lying on the ground around Zelda's throne, the cracked and crumbling crest of the Goddesses looking down at them from above.

The Princess shook her head. Her hair that was now bound in a ponytail just as it was when she inhabited her impish form bounced with the movement. No. None of that was important. Memories formed again as the swinging of her fiery locks came to a stop.

They stood in the Mirror Chamber. She prepared to enter her realm once more and the Princess of Hyrule and Hero unaware of what the Twilight ruler had in store. The light of the evening cast long shadows. This time was known as the hour of twilight, named after her world. Or was her world named after it? Midna's pondering was broken when she heard the howl of a wolf somewhere far off in the distance. She noticed Link's pointed ears twitch with the familiar call, but dismissed the action, for there were more important matters.

The single tear felt warm against her skin as it softly slipped down her cheek.

"Link… I…" Midna couldn't say it, no matter how much she wished to even after all they had gone through. The Twilight Princess simply lacked the courage needed to tell the Hero that she—

"Midna…" A familiar voice echoed and she snapped back to the present, for her thoughts had seemed so real she almost forgot it was all merely a memory. "Are you okay? You looked a bit distressed for a moment."

"Don't be concerned Link. It was nothing," the ruler spoke sadly. The Hero's troubled expression changed to a soft smile at her words as he walked towards where the Princess rested on her throne. The waving of his new Twili robes summoned yet another memory from not long after they entered her kingdom…

* * *

Link thought it was a waste, letting such a beautiful cloak go to ruin. He had asked Midna if he could borrow a needle and thread to mend the torn fabric.

"You can sew?" she asked incredulously from her perch on the first step in the western wing of the palace as the Hero inspected the mantle she had handed him. Midna had been about to discard the article, but Link stopped her. She sat and watched as he shook the fabric, laying it flat on the ground to examine the extent of the damage. His ability to mend clothing was probably the last thing the Princess expected of him considering Link was more of an active and less passive person.

"When you grow up in a village of a little over a dozen people, you have to master every skill you can learn. Wrangler, seamster, it didn't matter to me as long as I could help out in some way," he replied with a shrug, bringing his gaze from that of the damaged cloak to her.

Midna understood. It was part of his nature, helping others. Link had assumed the role of the Hero willingly, even though it had come as quite a shock, and he risked his life for strangers without hesitation. She called for a Twili to fetch his requested items and the aide soon returned to their side. The Hero thanked the Twili, taking the materials and grabbing the cloak off the floor.

"Can I sit?" Link asked, gesturing to the empty place next to where the Princess rested. She smiled.

"I don't know. You were able to ask. I'd think you'd be capable of sitting. I wouldn't exactly classify one action as being harder than the other. Feel free to prove me wrong though."

Link shook his head with a smile, plopping down next to her.

"There. See? I'm speaking _and_ sitting. It's not that hard."

"I don't know about that… If you were a wolf I think it may be a bit more difficult."

"I could always howl," he replied, threading the needle with practiced ease.

Midna shrugged. He'd bested her this time.

The Princess watched Link in silence as he mended the mantle, her head resting on her knees. She didn't know how long had passed before he finished his little project, but she simply enjoyed being in his presence in the meantime. Relaxing like this was a luxury they didn't have when saving the two realms.

Using his slighter sharper than normal canine, which was something that had been left over from his bestial form, Link bit the thread, in effect cutting it free of the cloth. "There," the Hero spoke, spitting the loose string from his mouth. "It's the best I could do. I'm sorry it's not perfect."

He had fixed what he could of the mantle. Link handed the finished piece to her, letting the Princess inspect it. She stood up, shaking the fabric loose and laying it across the ground. In truth it was far better than she had anticipated. He was being too modest. Link didn't give himself enough credit for the skills he possessed. Midna walked around the cloak, inspecting it from all angles.

"Did I miss a spot?" He asked as she reached down, grabbing it from the floor and shaking any dirt free. She bundled the fabric and looked at it, then him, and finally back to the cloth she held. Midna smiled, meeting his gaze.

"You wear it. It's customary for Twili men to make and wear their own robes as part of a coming of age ceremony. Though I suppose you've already proved your worth with saving a couple of kingdoms," She was lying about the whole ceremony thing, but wondered what he would look like in the garb of her people. Midna extended her hand that held the cloth, offering it to Link. The Hero stared at the fabric, slowly reaching out to grab it after a moment of hesitation.

"…Okay. I'll get changed then," he spoke tentatively, taking the garment from her and meeting the eyes of the smiling Princess.

Although some of the fabric had been lost due to the tumble upon entering the Twilight and the piece Midna tore off to use as a bandage, which was still wrapped about his arm, there was plenty left to cover Link's small frame. The Twili was pleased at the result. He wore her old cloak like a toga. Even then it was still a bit big, he having to use the already to large belt of his to keep it secure around the waist. Link had told her that the way he wore the cloth slightly reminded him of his native Ordonian attire: one arm mostly covered while the other was left exposed.

The arm he had hurt when they first came into the Twilight Realm was on his right side where the toga didn't cover. The wound on his elbow had scared. The reason being Link refused to take off the bandage she had wrapped about it. Childish, yes, but the Princess understood. It was the first thing she had ever given him. In the past Midna had always tricked Link into obtaining his own items, such as the sword and shield from Ordon Village.

Although he didn't let her touch it, the Twili still snuck into his room every night, removing the bandage and cleaning it then replacing the cloth on his arm once more as he slept. It was just as she had done countless times before to his various wounds throughout their journey.

Ever since he first put on the fixed cloak Link hadn't worn the green garb of the Hero. She liked his new clothes better than those old dusty ones of his anyway. Though the Princess feared the reason he didn't wear the tunic any longer was that it reminded him of his time in Hyrule. Midna was worried, but enough with the memories – she had to stop reminiscing and live in the present: with Link.

The royal stood from her throne as he walked up the steps towards her. With the cloak now in the possession of the Hero, she simply wore her sarong about her waist. Of course the crown of the Princess was still present, and her hair had been tied up in a ponytail with the shackle that had previously bound her fiery locks across her front. The new way she wore it was far more comfortable anyway.

Link looked up to her and smiled, proceeding to gently wrap his arms around her in a friendly hug. Midna still wasn't used to the change in height between her and the Hero, for she had always looked up to him or hovered at eye level when the two wandered in search of the Fused Shadows and later Mirror Shards.

"Thank you Link. I'm sorry if I worried you," she spoke with his action and he drew back a moment later.

"I'm glad to know you are well, but please, if anything bothers you, let me know," Link gazed up to her sorrowfully. "You've already had to endure enough suffering. You don't need to struggle through more."

She smiled widely at his words; teeth showing as she playfully ruffled the Hero's hair. Now that he no longer wore the hat, the action was something the Princess could do to mildly irritate him, though Link knew it was merely a jest and never let it get on his nerves. Midna pulled her hand away, letting the Hero straighten his bangs as she spoke.

"Let's see how the day is going, shall we?"

* * *

It was pleasantly warm in the Twilight Realm. The temperature was nice, staying consistent through all hours of the day. It had taken Link a little while to adapt to the lack of obvious change from day to night, as light in the realm was always the same evening-like glow of Hyrule no matter how many hours passed. Now he was getting used to it though, and had developed a regular sleeping pattern.

In truth the kingdom was quite small, only the size of Faron province at most. The population wasn't very large either, totaling somewhere over a hundred but less than two. Many of the subjects lived on other floating clots of land separate from the palace; the only way of which to travel to was by taking one of the countless see-through glowing platforms that traversed the expanse.

A few Twili were enjoying the day in the open area before the palace, simply basking in the glow of Twilight. They stood in respect when the two approached. Midna waved her hand, signaling for her people to relax.

"Link!" A small native said excitedly, running up to the Hero.

"Aralie!" he replied with open arms, scooping up the child and spinning her in the air before drawing her into an embrace. She giggled happily and Link set her on the ground, crouching before her.

"I've gotten better with the slingshot!" She said, pulling out the toy. The children had quickly taken a liking to Link, curious as to how the world of Light was different from their own. He often told them tales of his times in Hyrule, showing off the items he had gathered and loaning the less dangerous ones to the kids.

"Really? Can you show me?" the Hero asked. She nodded eagerly, the hair of hers that had been pulled to the sides of the girl's face and tied in loose pigtails rapidly bobbed with the action. The child immediately ran off to find pebbles for ammunition. Link stood, watching her go and turning to Midna with a smile.

"You're good with children," she told him. Now that the two were alone they could enjoy the day in peace together. Link stayed silent for a moment, averting his gaze from Midna's and looking to Aralie as she ran around frantically searching for small stones.

"Maybe it's because she reminds me a bit of Colin."

"You mean the boy you saved during the fight over Eldin Bridge?" The Princess questioned, although she knew the answer. In truth the Twili child was closer in age to the strange little boy that had opened up the shop in Kakariko, and later Castle Town.

Link nodded, turning back to the one that had accompanied him through all his battles. By now Midna was sitting on the ground and patting the stone surface next to her, signaling for him to join. The Hero went to the side of the Princess, getting comfortable on the hard terrain.

"You went a bit over the top with the theatrics there," she continued after he had settled. They looked out over the realm, the glow of Twilight calming and peaceful. "Raising the Master Sword in victory. Were you waiting for applause or something? Other than that kid, who was unconscious by the way, I was the only one there. You were aware of that, right?"

Link knew. And that's why he did it.

"You know, you can be pretty childish at times. You don't need to show off. It only makes you look ridiculous."

The tips of the Hero's pointed ears felt hot and he spun to look her in the face.

"I'm not childish!" He denied outright.

"You're just reinforcing my point," Midna hummed in response. Link huffed and flopped onto his back, looking at the serene twilight particles drift above them. The two were silent for a while in the company of the other, Aralie running around a little distance away as she still searched for pebbles to show off her skills.

"Link…" Midna drifted. He turned his head to her. The Princess was watching the child; face not visible from the angle at which the Hero was viewing her from. "Do you… miss Hyrule?"

The question took him by surprise. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the choice he had made the day the Mirror shattered. Link was silent for a moment or so, organizing his thoughts. Midna turned, her face now fully visible. The Hero smiled, pushing himself fully upright into a sitting position and then scooting closer until their arms brushed as he looked up to her. Midna's head was titled down a little as their eyes, antithesis of one another, kindly looked into those of the other. Just as Link opened his mouth to speak, Aralie began to cry. The moment between them was interrupted as their sights were drawn to the wailing child.

The two stood, but Midna was faster. She ran to Aralie who lay sprawled in the dirt. The ruler had a deep care and connection with her people. Link considered following her, but he didn't want to infringe on the bond Midna had with her subjects, even though he himself was quite close to them as well. The Hero sighed, looking down as he dragged his foot along one of the many geometric lines in the stone. If kids interrupted romantic moments like this, Link thought that he never wanted to have any of his own. Then again, the Hero still hadn't said anything to Midna about his feelings towards her, and really didn't make any obvious indications either, too nervous and not sure how to go about doing so.

After a few moments of silent thought, Link let his eyes wander, glancing at the small crowd of Twili that hovered around Aralie. Midna held the arm of the child, spitting on a wound to clean it just as she did with his injury. Link's lips curved upward in a smile and he let his sight travel once more. Eventually his gaze settled on where the Mirror had once let people cross between realms, memories of the past adventures with Midna surfacing in his mind.

The smile on his face disappeared just as quickly as the blanket of Twilight had settled over Hyrule. Something was bothering Link, and it had been nagging at the back of his mind for the longest time, easily since not long after they came across the Mirror for the first time.

That something had to do with Zant.

* * *

 **A/N: I just love writing Link and Midna's playful dialog. It's so fun! I have to say that these two are probably the most opposite out of any of Link's companions, but that's one thing that makes them work so well together!**


	3. Ad Interim

**Chapter 3**

… _Ad Interim  
_ "…For the Meantime"

* * *

Zant's position had been that of a government official. The political structure of the Twili people was relatively simple, as they had a small population. Various islands of sorts floated throughout the realm, each governed by the leader of the head house that resided there. These leaders would meet at a regular basis every month, traveling to a different house, rotating through them all then starting back at the first. They would explain and discuss what had passed since their previous meeting to Zant, who would then organize and transfer the information to Midna, letting her make the necessary adjustments for her people's needs: food, water, supplies and the like. Letting Link take over Zant's position helped the Hero to be ingrained in the society, becoming close to each of the various houses and its inhabitants.

Midna sat in on the first few meetings, instructing Link on how to go about the formal proceedings and getting him to bond with the people. After a few months the Hero had mastered process and was able to conduct the affairs on his own.

Soon it would be a full year since they had arrived in the realm, Mirror shattered for good. The people had become quite close to Link, sometimes even forgetting the Hero was from the world of Light and not their own.

The weeks turned into months, and the days passed peacefully… for a time.

* * *

Everything seemed to move forward remarkably smooth… well, almost everything.

He was overdue by almost an entire day in transferring on the information to Midna regarding the status of her realm. It was unlike Link to be tardy. The Princess was concerned about him, and had good reason to be. In the past the Hero would go out of his way to make sure things were done on time, putting his needs second to that of others, but now…

Midna stood outside his chambers, announcing her presence.

"Link, may I enter?"

Silence.

"Link? Are you alright?" She asked troubled, he hadn't seemed like himself of late. Over the past two or so months the Hero was noticeably different somehow and it seemed he was trying to hide something. The Princess reached to place her hand on the glowing door. She respected the privacy of others for the most part, only ever disrupting it if her presence would benefit them. His lack of response disturbed her, but she decided to wait a second or so just in case. She was relieved when after a moment Link spoke.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please feel free to come in." She heard him shifting in the room. The door slid open at her touch. Link was sitting before the desk opposite the bed in his chamber. The robes the Hero wore looked uneven and the water basin by the door was near empty. The Princess figured he must have been drinking quite a lot of late.

The Twili walked to his bed. It looked as if he Link just gotten out of it and in addition to his messy robes, her reasoning was valid. She sat on the edge, the surface still warm from his presence. The Hero was focusing on what was before him, the glow of the wall illuminating the desk and its contents. He didn't look to Midna upon her arrival, unusual for him as the two always enjoyed the gaze of the other.

"How is it coming along? Anything the matter?" she asked, referring to the status of her kingdom. The Princess wanted to question his change and knew he was keeping something from her, but didn't know how to go about addressing the topic with him.

"Everything is well. Splendid actually," he responded almost stiffly, shuffling through the items on the desk, symbols of sorts for the various houses. Link still wrote dominantly in Hylian, but went to the effort of translating it to Twili to make it easier on others. Luckily the Twili script seemed to be vaguely similar to that of his native one, lessening the self-shouldered burden the Hero had put on himself.

They were silent for a while.

"Link, you know you can tell me if anything is wrong. Not just about the affairs of the kingdom. Your wellbeing is important too," she eventually spoke.

He was still at her words, seeming distant. After a short time Midna stood, contemplating leaving him to his business, but instead walked over to the Hero and stopped behind him. The Princess rested her hands on his shoulders. Link flinched at her unexpected touch. For a moment she considered pulling away, but kept her hands steady. He soon relaxed.

Neither of them spoke, or moved, simply being in silence together. Midna wondered if he'd fallen asleep sitting up, as she couldn't see his face. Nervously she leaned her head over the top of his, gently placing a kiss along the hairline of the Hero. He inhaled sharply and she quickly pulled away with his response, walking out of the room without looking back. Once the door closed behind her, Midna leaned her back against it.

She was flustered. Everything had gone so well in her realm these past months… Everything but the single matter of business that was most important to Midna. The Princess of Twilight shouldn't have gotten so worked up over something so trivial, but…

Their relationship had made it nowhere in the past year. In comparison with that, her move was far from trivial.

Midna hoped she hadn't made Link feel uncomfortable with what she had done and didn't yet know if she regretted her actions. Even though they'd been living at peace in the same world together for quite a time, the Princess still wasn't sure if what she did was right. She worried that he only wanted to be friends and nothing more.

She feared he wouldn't accept her love.

* * *

Link made sure to wait for a time after Midna left before he stood from his desk. He was shocked by her actions but quickly realized she was trying to make him feel better in a way. That or he was imagining things, and with everything on his mind, the latter didn't seem all that far-fetched.

After a few moments of standing in place and staring into nothing, the Hero shook his head to clear it and went over to his bed, siting down on the edge where the Princess had been previously. He reached under the pillow, slowly pulling out a folded piece of paper and proceeding to stare at it intently. After taking a deep and shaky breath, he opened it, looking at the familiar Hylian script his eyes had traveled across many times over the past couple of months.

 _Dear Link,_

He began to read, tensing at the words he knew would come.

 _Know that your mother and I love you very much. By the time you are reading this, I will have joined her. Please don't grieve for us. We are so very sorry to put you through this, but there is something you must know…_

Link stopped, the words too painful for him to continue as of now, so he proceeded to fold the letter closed once more. The Hero regretted not reading it earlier. Why he had waited until he and Midna had entered the Twilight Realm was something Link didn't fully understand. Maybe if he had summoned the courage to face the truth it held before he was separated from his home, then he might have had the chance to achieve his true meaning.

To keep the unspoken promise his parents had placed on him, fulfilling their one hidden wish.

The Hero sighed, pushing himself off the bed and walking to the corner of the room to look at the green tunic and accompanying gear that had been neatly organized, collecting dust from their lack of use. He gently slid the letter beneath the pile, hiding it once more, just as he had since the day he received it, not wanting to accept reality.

Link turned his back on his past; walking away as fragments of actuality so desperately clung to his mind, eating away at the Hero's sanity, knowing that he had failed.

Why was destiny such a heavy burden to bear?

* * *

It had been a few weeks since the Princess confronted Link about her concerns and taken their relationship one more step forward, if that was indeed the direction it had gone. Midna didn't know, as Link never made any indication for or against her actions. The Twili ruler could tell he hadn't been sleeping well, but she had only really taken note of it once he had tiredly conveyed the health of her kingdom to the Princess the day after she spoke with him about it. Midna at first thought that it was her sign of affection that drove Link to exhaustion, but soon realized it had been going on for far longer in the form of his distance from her. She was concerned that her actions might have made him worse in a way.

After paying closer attention, she noticed the appearance of the Hero was gaunt and the fatigue he tried so hard to hide was now painfully obvious. She had attempted to ask about his condition, but whenever she did so, he would reply with an excuse or change the subject, saying he was fine and to worry about more important things. It seemed no matter what she said, Midna couldn't get Link to tell her what had really been going on, as he would constantly dodge the question in one way or another. It was beginning to drive the Princess mad. She needed to know what was wrong, but didn't dare push him to tell her. She'd done enough of that on their journey together. Midna needed to back off and let him handle things the way he saw fit. He was an adult now, not the ignorant farm boy of the past.

Although she told herself that, the Princess found it to be a difficult task to let Link do as he pleased. It was this night she decided to take a walk through the palace. Midna couldn't sleep with her mind furiously occupied over the Hero's wellbeing and fear for his health. She knew he didn't want her to worry from the way he hid it, but her concern for him was a constant bother, and only ever increasing from the fact that he didn't wish to let her know.

Before she knew it, the feet of the Princess had carried her to Link's room.

She stopped in front the doorway, standing there in silence for some time, wondering just how she had managed to unconsciously make her way here. It took the Princess a moment to realize that the reason being was because she subconsciously planned on confronting him and forcing the truth out, whether Link liked it or not.

A weak smile crept up the face of the Princess. Old habits really do die hard.

It was at that moment Midna thought she heard a muffled shout through the stone before of her. The face of the Twili took on a serious expression once more. Troubled by the noise she set aside her respect for privacy, taking action to aid in stopping whatever caused the cry, and pressed her hand to the cool surface of the door. It glowed in response and slid aside a moment later. Midna inhaled sharply at what she saw.

The subtle aquamarine glow of the Twilight markings on the walls softly illuminated the room and provided a bright contrast to the eyes of the Hero who aggressively tossed and turned on his bed. His gaze settled on her ever so briefly and Midna gasped at the sight of his irises.

Link's eyes were no longer the sapphire blue of Hyrule that she had come to know over their journey: kind and soft to those he cared for but powerful and feral when they were in danger.

No, they were fiercely glowing the color of blood.

Link continued to writhe violently in his bed, arms flailing about and Twili robes falling from his upper body as he unconsciously attempted to tear them from himself.

At first Midna thought this whole event was simply part of a nightmare: his ferocious thrashing and eyes frightfully savage yet scarily familiar. She rushed to his side, grabbing his form and pulling it close to herself, ignoring the scratches and bruises she received from his nails and flying limbs.

"It's okay, it's all going to be okay," she mumbled to comfort him, but she knew that was far from the truth. After a moment he settled, his breathing still heavy, soulless eyes wide, seemingly looking through her and sending a chill deep into the very core of the Princess as she held his burning body kindly and concerned.

No matter how much she wished to deny it, Midna knew what was happening. The Princess hated herself for not taking action sooner when she had first noticed Link's distress, simply brushing it off when he told her to as to not disrespect the Hero like she had done in the world of Light. The Princess became lax from their time in the Twilight Realm together, but if nothing was done now…

Link would die.

* * *

 **A/N: The plot finally decided to make an appearance. (It was shy, that's all. XD) Sorry if my writing voice isn't entirely consistent throughout this story. I am trying my best to find a style that fits it. I'm used to writing one-shots, which have ended up varying a bit and an ongoing story is something I'm not used to. Anyway, from here on out it's going to get much more serious.**


	4. Aegri Somnia

**Chapter Four**

 _Aegri Somnia  
_ "A Sick Man's Dreams"

* * *

The Princess of Twilight lifted the form of the Hero from the bed. His body was hot and shaking, sweat dripping from the pores as he lay in her arms. This scenario was all too familiar, yet their positions had been reversed then. She remembered when he had tenderly held her impish figure once she broke the barrier covering Hyrule Castle not long after the defeat of Zant. At that time the Princess had merely fainted from exhaustion following the use of the dark and ancient powers she wasn't used to, but this… this was different.

Midna prayed to their ancestors that he would survive.

Through the halls of the palace she ran, bare feet striking the stone floor as the Twili headed to her room. Luckily it wasn't very far from that of the Hero's. A convulsion traveled through Link's frame as she held him. Looking down at his pained face she saw his canine press sharply against his lip, drawing a drop of ruby blood, the color of which matched his wide vacant eyes that were staring into nothing as she made her way down the passages of her castle. Midna didn't know why she brought him with her, only that she knew she couldn't leave him like he was.

Once the Princess arrived at her chambers, she placed the Hero on her bed then immediately rushed to get water from the basin in the corner of the room, for Link's had been empty. Midna cupped her hands, dipping them into the pool and quickly returning to his side as not to spill much of the precious liquid. Carefully and gently she poured some of it into his mouth, his rapid breathing slowed and she used the remainder across the Hero's forehead. Link's hollow eyes drifted closed as the water slid down his pained face.

The Princess crawled into the bed next to him, lying on her side while watching his body quiver. The Twili knew he needed to break the fever, unable to stand seeing him like this. Hopefully what he was going through at the moment would be the worst of it for now, but she knew it was only the beginning if they didn't find a way to prevent what was to come. Although it took much time to be triggered, there was the risk of the progression being quick once what was happening took hold of him.

Midna scooted closer to Link, wrapping her arms around the sickly Hero and drawing him close, ignoring the sweat that stuck to their bodies. She gripped him compassionately, fearing that without her touch, he would forever slip away into nothingness. The Princess had never been this intimate with him. Although much time passed, she had just barely started to take action, still unable to summon the courage needed to tell him the three simple words she felt. Midna had thrown out the occasional hint, but Link's reactions were unreadable on every occasion. The Twili couldn't tell with certainty if he felt the same way about her, but until now she hadn't fully realized just how much he meant.

She couldn't risk losing him.

The Princess placed her hand on the back of the Hero's head, hair matted from his sweat as she leaned his forehead against her chin, making sure to still give his face room to breath fresh air while she held him in the embrace. She quietly cooed in his ear, whispering hollow words of comfort that she had no way of backing up with truth.

Link whimpered like an injured wolf, and in a way he was one.

Midna's eyes began to water. She hadn't shed a single tear since the day she shattered the Mirror in Hyrule. The Twilight Princess was a strong ruler, and on top of that, she was so very happy that the Hero was by her side, but seeing him in this pain was near impossible to tolerate. She would do anything to make sure Link returned to normal… if that were at all possible.

She shook the dreadful thought from her mind and kissed Link's forehead tenderly as her tears slid off her face and joined his sweat that was soaking into the bed. He trembled in her grasp. From the effects of the fever, pain, or a nightmare… she didn't know. The Twili hoped his temperature would break soon, or he would at least calm some and then she would carry him back to his bed, tucking the Hero in and letting him sleep till morn. Midna didn't want to make Link feel awkward with her closeness, just as she feared she had done with her display of affection, but for now she would hold him tightly and comfort his pain, her own in the process as well while she still desperately hoped everything happening was all part of a dark and horrid nightmare.

The Hero's frail body reminded Midna of the time she had been drained of her powers by Zant not long after obtaining the final piece of Fused Shadow, as well as the events that followed his defiant actions. The Princess of Twilight recalled mere minutes upon tumbling into the her realm how she jokingly said Link was simply the messenger to Zelda, who had really saved the Twili's ailing impish shape, but in truth the Hero deserved much more credit. Without him, she would have died that day. Link _had_ saved her.

And now it was her turn to save him.

* * *

Link awoke with Midna's warm form wrapped around him. He remembered nothing of the events that led up to this situation, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. The Hero was still drowsy and it took him a moment for the possible conclusions as to why the two shared this previous unthought-of closeness to surface in his mind.

Blood rushed to his face at the idea of what might have come to pass the previous night. Link dismissed the notion, as there was more evidence pointing away than towards the fact, relieved to find that he was still fully clothed and, for some reason, quite sweaty. Link was well aware that their relationship was far from that level of intimacy anyway, and he knew the two of them weren't they type to blindly rush into that sort of matter, if she indeed felt the same way about him. The Hero was still surprised Midna had kissed him the other day, thinking it might have been a dream, just as this had to be, as she never spoke of it after the event came to pass. Was all this merely a mental manifestation of his desires? Of late it seemed Link was having difficulty telling what was real and what wasn't, some things a vivid dream, and some dreams an unusual reality.

Nonetheless, Link was waiting for the ideal chance to tell the Princess something that had been on his mind from long before he even knew of her identity and merely saw Midna as purely a traveling companion and later an accomplice. It was something very important, but he was unable to put into words what he felt.

He loved her, and that feeling was only growing ever stronger with each memory they made together.

In truth, Link had hated the imp upon their first meeting. Her snarky attitude and harsh actions towards him made the Hero feel inferior and misused, yet he had little choice but to go along with what she said, following her commands. It took him some time to realize that what she did was for his benefit, remembering how she had tricked him into gathering the sword and shield from Ordon as weapons to use once he returned to his true form. After that they slowly started to develop a mutual trust, unspoken words passing between the two as she learned to read his cues when a wolf.

As the days of their journey passed they became closer, understanding that one couldn't survive without the other by their side. They learned to stand back-to-back, fighting through thick and thin. The concern they held for the other was genuine, knowing that without their cooperation Hyrule and the Twilight Realm would never return to normal. True, more than once Midna left him to fend for himself, such as the time they were hunting tears in Kakariko Village and things got a bit out of hand in Barnes' bomb storage shed. Only upon later reflection did he realize that Midna was simply making sure Link pushed himself to his limits, testing the Hero in hopes that she hadn't made the wrong choice as to who she picked to save the worlds of Light and Twilight.

Yet at some point over their time with one another, Link had come to realize that she meant something more to him than simply an associate. He vividly recalled her face the moment the Sages revealed she was the Twilight Princess, a title Midna mockingly referred to Zelda as upon his first meeting with the Light ruler. Her expression at the declaration of truth that the guardians of the Mirror spoke of was an image Link knew he would never forget. The way Midna talked of her people was sorrowful, and her tribe's past wrought with strife. As she slowly exposed the history of her society and herself, Link began to better understand her initial demeanor towards the Hero.

She didn't want to get involved with him and only did so reluctantly.

It was something she proved when she attempted to leave him behind the day the Mirror shattered. Link still wasn't entirely sure what had possessed him to cling to Midna, leaving everything he had come to know behind, understanding that the world of Light may be a place he was to never again walk. All he knew was at the time it would be something the Hero wouldn't regret. Over the past months though, he had come to think differently, as he had begun to miss his homeland, the world of the Twilight Realm the exact antithesis of what he had always known, just as Midna had so eloquently explained. In addition to that, the nagging feeling of dread over his failure to uphold his parents last wish had only gotten stronger since he read their letter, almost having memorized it word for word by now.

Though Midna's recent actions reinforced Link's initial thought that maybe his choice was right. He had to let go of the past and live in the moment with her. Yet at this time he was uncertain of how she saw him, never again bringing up her sudden display of affection towards the Hero that so drastically contradicted her previous demeanor towards him. He continued to ponder the actions of the Princess, but his mind was quickly brought back to their time together in Hyrule.

Link was unable to identify the exact moment his emotions for Midna changed from ones of mere friendship to those of a deeper fondness.

The Hero felt foolish. Link had never thought on the subject this much and although the Goddesses deemed him the most courageous in all of Hyrule, he still couldn't confess his true feelings to the woman he adored, using the frail excuse to tell himself the reason why was because he didn't want to hurt her. After all, Midna was royalty and Link had grown up an orphaned ranch hand. Even if his birth parents were…

He forced himself to rid the thought from his mind. It was something Link never wanted to address, although he knew he had to face it at one point, reading the letter over and over again wasn't going to solve anything. He didn't wish to face it at this time though, simply wanting to embrace what he had here and now. The gaze of the Hero focused on the Princess before him, thoughts of his past fading away as his sight traveled along her beautiful Twli face. Seeing Midna's peaceful expression as she held him in her sleep let Link know she was contented.

Cautiously as not to wake her, he shifted in her embrace. The hair of the Princess was loose and messy around her exhausted but happy look. He guessed she removed the shackle that bound it as she slept. Link pulled one arm free from her grip and lifted his hand, pushing aside a few strands of her fiery locks to better see the face of the woman who lay holding him kindly.

His hand froze and a chill rushing through Link's body at the sight of his own skin. Black markings crawled along the skin of his pale arm.

The Hero inhaled sharply, tensing at the foreign sight. He squirmed until his other arm was free and gently drew his fingers across the lines that resembled veins. These veins of a sort were a dark contrast to his blanched skin, and geometric, turning at sharp right angles. The resemblance was vaguely similar to that of Zelda when the Demon King had possessed her body during the final battle. Midna awoke at his movements.

"Link! You're awake!" she spoke, eyes wide with shock. She hugged him tightly as they lay on the bed, crushing his face into her neck and in the process cutting off his supply of air.

"Mrrff!" He struggled to speak. The lack of oxygen felt all too real, disproving his earlier dream theory. The Twili immediately pulled away to give him room to breath once more. Link inhaled deeply, looking to his limbs again as his eyes frantically darted about the patterns on his skin, all earlier thoughts fading into obscurity at the sight before him.

"What… Midna, what's going on? My arms…" he struggled to find words as he focused on the inhuman markings.

Midna looked at the one before her. The lines crawled along not only his arms, but up his neck as well. Some just barely peeking over the sides of his chin and onto his face. Link's eyes drifted to hers, the red in them had retreated to the edges of the irises, blue now partially returned yet still not pure.

"Your body is fighting itself in a way," she spoke sadly. "Link… you're very ill."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so sorry about your pain Link, and Midna, I know you fear for your Hero. Link's past is slowly surfacing! It will prove pivotal for his wellbeing. Can he tell Midna the truth in time? Or will the Hero take his secrets to his grave?**


	5. Metus et Mysteria

**Chapter Five**

 _Metus et Mysteria  
_ "Fears and Secrets"

* * *

A day had passed and Link was doing much better than he had been the previous night. The unnatural black lines that crawled along his skin were still present, but the Hero was no longer feverish and now slightly less exhausted thanks to Midna carefully watching over him since the moment she found the Hero twisting in pain, eyes bright with fury.

The Princess had attended to both his and her duties while Link rested. Luckily there wasn't much to be done, but she did feel lonely without him, especially considering the day.

Every few days on a strict schedule, Link and Midna would spend an hour or so in front of the palace together, interacting with anyone that wished to share a moment in their presence. Aralie was their most popular visitor, as she greatly enjoyed spending time with the Hero and sharing what she had learned since the last time she saw him. Midna recalled earlier in the day how the child had seemed so disappointed that Link hadn't accompanied the Princess. Aralie's face was worried upon seeing only Midna approach.

"Is Link okay?" the girl had asked when the Twili ruler stepped out into the open on her own, expression serious. Midna's face immediately changed, realizing she would make others curious or fearful from her demeanor in addition to the lack of the Hero's presence. The Princess stopped before her young subject and squatted so she was looking at the child on eye level.

"He's tired so he's sleeping extra. Link had a nightmare and didn't get enough rest," Midna responded, bending the truth a bit. She didn't dare tell Aralie what really happened, but couldn't bear outright lying to a kid, especially one that held such genuine concern for Link's health.

"Tell him I said I'm worried and I hope he's better soon," she replied with a sad smile. Midna nodded solemnly and left to return to Link's side not long after her conversation. She didn't want to be lonely, and it seemed none of the other Twili wanted to talk to her, noticing she acted withdrawn and aloof.

As of now, the Princess lay on her bed next to the Hero. Although it was only roughly midday, the Twili was exhausted. Once he was conscious, Midna explained to Link the reason behind the arrangements they had woken up to. She insisted they stay in the same room just in case the event repeated itself, but knew it wasn't likely considering he'd just been through one major phase. Still, Midna wasn't willing to risk anything. She'd never seen this happen in person and only knew about the process from stories.

Link had stayed on her bed so far the entire day, mostly unmoving. Midna had offered to sleep on the floor, but he insisted it wasn't right for one of her status to doze on the ground. The Princess rebutted his argument, telling him she'd gone through much worse than having to deal with hard surfaces as a place to rest. She knew he was being chivalrous though, and feared for his health as his responses became vocally weaker with each word he spoke. Eventually they came to the compromise that the two of them would reside in the same bed, an awkward silence hovering between them.

Midna hated herself. If only she'd stayed awake and brought him back to his own room then everything would be normal, as he would have no way of knowing what had happened and instead she could reveal what he was going through in a cautious and timely manner free of tension between them. She feared instead of slowly closing the distance between the two, she'd rapidly widened it in a way.

They lay on opposite edges of the bed while they looked up at the ceiling in silence. Neither knew what to say to the other at this point, fearing the wrong words may scar them deeply, yet they still wished to express something as to simply hear the comforting voice of the other. Both were afraid, though they didn't know of what exactly.

"Aralie is worried about you," the Princess spoke, eventually breaking the quiet between them. "She wishes you the best."

Link didn't say anything, pretending to be asleep. In truth he felt terrible. Currently not physically, although his body was sore and fatigued from what he had gone through the previous night, an incident he didn't remember but Midna had informed him of after he had awoken. No, he felt terrible for making her worry, and now causing others to fear for him. The Hero couldn't stand to be pitied, never wishing to put anyone he cared for through any sort of pain, although his own suffering had inadvertently done so.

Midna explained that since he had broken the fever, what Link had gone through would be the worst of it for now. The Princess didn't let on much more than that, keeping some sort of secret about his condition. Link was fearful about what may come, but understood her actions. After all, the Hero could relate: he had more than one skeleton in the closet.

Link lifted his arm, reaching for the ceiling far above, his palm open. The lines on his skin almost came to his wrist, but not quite. He clenched his hand into a fist after a moment of stillness and the black streaks moved like snakes as his muscles contracted. The glow of the markings on the walls caught the symbol of the Goddesses on the back of his hand, reminding the Hero that he was one of courage and to not fear whatever might be happening to him now. After a moment of pondering the blessing that he sometimes saw as a curse, Link brought his arm down, resting it across his altered eyes.

"Midna…" he said pensively. She slowly turned her head towards his and Link remaining unmoving as he continued. "Am I… going to die?"

The Twili abruptly sat upright at his words, looking to the one lying next to her who had been through so much yet had never given up on hope. His arm slid aside the slightest, eye peeking out from beneath as the red edges of the iris glowed in the shadow cast by his limb.

"Link, you are _not_ going to die. I swear on my throne and bloodli—" she stopped midsentence, slipping out of the bed and pacing about the room. Link turned on his side to watch as she moved around her chambers. After a moment the Twili stopped and faced him. "Link, you won't die," she spoke determined.

The Hero pushed himself up; sliding his legs over the edge of the surface he had been laying on a moment ago, elbows now propped atop his knees as he looked to the ground between his feet. Link was unable to meet Midna's eyes, fearing the distress they would show at the words he proceeded to speak.

"I don't want to worry you, but it felt like dying… I can't remember the event itself, but the pain… I-I never want to go through that again. Even my first transformation into a wolf was painless compared with…" he drifted, not knowing how to describe the incident. He didn't want to worry her, but at the same time Link felt he owed Midna something for everything she had done for him since the event began. Upon seeing her reaction, he instantly regretted even thinking of telling her.

The Princess of Twilight collapsed onto the chair in front of the desk; looking to the Hero horrified and not realizing just how much suffering he had to endure. Midna now partially understood his reason for feeling as if he would die. No one should have to experience what Link had gone through, if it was indeed what she thought. The Princess first had to confirm it though, still trying to deny the truth that tormented her.

"I know you've been living in this realm for quite some time now, and you've easily come accustomed to our ways," she spoke, slowly bringing her thoughts together as not to shock him with her conclusion. Link looked up, sight settling on a scratch along her forearm from his unconscious attacks towards her. She saw his gaze come to rest on the wound and shifted to hide her arm. Now that he wore the cloak and she was simply garbed in the sarong adorning her waist, it was difficult to conceal the minor wound. Midna continued,

"You've done well so far, but there is still much you have yet to learn about my people. Like all cultures, we have a strong mythos and history. You know of one of these legends, that of the blue eyed beast, our hero. You."

His gaze went to hers, the red that crept from the edges of his irises snuck up on the color of which she spoke, threatening to suffocate the calm with a wave hostility and hatred, just as what had come to pass between her people centuries before.

"But there are more. My Royal Family has closely guarded one of these legends. Even Zant knew nothing of it."

The Hero's pointed ears twitched as he listened attentively, reminding the Princess of his other form.

"Link, I believe it's about time I told you the Legend of the Sheikah."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm** _ **really**_ **sorry for this short chapter, and I'm sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger such as this (actually, I'm not. I like cliffhangers).  
Please understand.**


	6. Veritas et Fortitudo

**Chapter Six**

 _Veritas et Fortitudo  
_ "Truth and Courage"

* * *

The words of the Twilight Princess caused the Hero to abruptly start.

"Is everything alright?" Midna asked nervously, expression of concern on her Twili face. She hadn't expected him to be uneasy this early in her tale.

"Y-yeah…" Link stuttered as his gaze drifted from hers. It was the name Sheikah – hauntingly familiar to him. Link wondered just exactly how it was connected to her people.

Midna paused for a moment, reorganizing her thoughts in response to the Hero's reaction. She realized that she would have to go about this differently. "Before I tell you of the legend, I will need to know _everything_ about your past. I understand it may be something you don't wish to talk about, but it's vital. Why did you live on the edge of your village? You were the only Ordonian with Hylian ears as well. But most importantly, who were your parents?"

The last question caused Link to visibly tense. Midna knew she had hit her mark with her words.

"My parents…" Link drifted, looking off with unfocused eyes into some nonexistent place, probably his distant past. Eventually he slowly turned to face her as he stuttered. "I-I can't…"

"Do you want to die?!" the Princess jumped from her seat and shouted, expression distraught. In reaction to her outburst, Link's face was a mixture of pain, fear, and shock. Midna's softened, looking sorrowful in response to his. She didn't mean to snap, but her emotions were in turmoil. The Princess walked to his side, sitting on the bed next to him. "I'm sorry. Its just…" she drifted, taking his hand in her own. He flinched the slightest with her actions and she met his eyes a moment later. "Please Link, I need to know. It's for your own benefit."

He slowly nodded. "I understand… Midna, I'm sorry." The Hero's gaze went from her to the floor. The Twili slowly released his hand and scooted back the slightest to give him room. She sensed Link needed some space, especially after all that had happened between them and to the Hero so far. "My past is something that I think should stay buried. It's something that would have gotten me killed in Hyrule, but now that we are no longer there… I-I'll tell you," he spoke nervously, looking back up to her. She nodded for him to explain, the Hero's gaze once more fell to the ground a moment or so later. "My parents… it was forbidden for them to be together. Midna, I'm a taboo child. My father was a Hylian, and my mother…" Link drifted, squeezing his eyes shut and not finishing the sentence, expression of pain obvious on his face. Midna reached her hand out to set it on his shoulder, but she pulled away when the Hero brought his strange and now sorrowful gaze up once more, meeting the Twili's own red irises as he spoke almost weakly. "She was one of the last Sheikah."

The Princess of Twilight inhaled sharply, bright red eyes widening in response to his frightfully truthful words. It was at that moment everything came together for Midna.

"So… it really is true," she whispered under her breath, voice close to shaking.

Link continued, his tone steady and serious now, "My parents had me late in their lives. They didn't expect a child and knew that their relationship was already risky as it was. My father was a purebred Hylian. Not just any Hylian either. He was the sole messenger between the Royal Family of Hyrule and the Hidden Village. Remember Impaz?" Link paused; Midna immediately recalled the quaint little hamlet and its sole occupant.

"She's… related to my mother, you see. My father was only a teenager when he had fallen in love with a woman of her tribe as he was delivering a message to the village. Over time he began to make more and more frequent visits to see her. The few other villagers didn't approve of this, fearing his reoccurring and unnecessary appearance would draw attention to their hideout. He wasn't able to stay there, as it was only for those few of the tribe that had protected the Royal Family long ago. So instead… they decided to elope.

"From what I understood, the two lived a mostly happy life in some far off corner of the land. Then… I was conceived. My mother became very ill during her pregnancy, and my parents had little choice but to journey to Castle Town for medical help. Even then though, she died in childbirth," he paused for a moment, letting the Princess absorb the information as he himself tried to accept it all. Speaking it aloud to another was so much more painful than simply reading the letter in his mind again and again.

"L-Link… I had no idea…" Midna said fearfully and pained. She never knew just how deep his roots went.

"After she left this world my father couldn't go back to his duty as a messenger. He'd run away without any warning. Abandoning his post, the sacred burden trusted to only one a generation in hopes of keeping a frail peace. Peace over what, I'm… not really sure to be honest, but revealing the secrets of his occupation to anyone or failing in that duty in any way… it was punishable by death. He couldn't risk endangering my life, as I would undoubtedly be killed as well once they found he had a descendent with one of their kind. So he ran once more. My father took me the furthest south he could, settling in Ordona Province."

Midna remembered the curious community where she'd helped him steal the first necessary items for their journey. The people there really weren't the brightest.

"At first the villagers welcomed us, glad to have a new face and a child to fill the village with young life. Ilia was born the same year he and I arrived. Her mother had died in childbirth just as mine so as we grew up together we became fairly good friends... Anyway, my father decided to take up living on the edge of the village and protecting it. He needed some way to redeem his past transgressions. He kept our history a secret for as long as he could, but soon the Ordonians figured it out. How exactly, I don't know. Not long after he gave his life protecting the village from a pack of Wolfos. Protecting me…" he drifted.

"Link, it isn't your—"

"Let me finish," he interrupted, altered eyes staring deeply into hers and anguished by his painful and hidden past. She was silent, allowing him to proceed with a small nod of her head. "I continued to live on the outskirts of the village, all by myself at the age of seven. I was shunned by most, so for ten years I was alone in a way of sorts. The people feared I would bring bad luck to them because of superstitions about dark magic or something of the like, even though my father proved to them that we were on their side. It was at the command of the Light Spirit Ordonia that they fully accept me as one of their own. Over time and as I developed skills they came to realize I was an asset: a good wrangler, seamster and the like. They treated me just the same way as before they knew my history, and possibly even better since I don't remember much from when I was that small. Nonetheless, the subject of my parents was never again spoken of.

"I only learned of all this much later from a letter my father had written and entrusted to Mayor Bo in case anything happened to him. It was given to me only a few days before Rusl confronted me about being the representative of Ordon, on my seventeenth birthday actually. At the time I was the same age as my father when he ran away with the woman he loved," Link finished, mentally drawing a parallel of sorts to his actions towards Midna at the end of their journey in Hyrule with those of his parent's lives.

"I didn't open the letter until a few months ago. I… I hesitated so long because I didn't want to face my past and feared what it would tell me…"

Midna understood in a way. The stress from his parent's letter is what triggered his illness of sorts; his own internal conflict over what he is was the onset to it all. Link took a breath and continued.

"I was cowardly, but… at the end of the letter was the reasoning behind my name. My parents chose the term 'link' because I connected two tribes… I was the link between the Hylians and Sheikah. I think they hoped that one day I could somehow mend the disagreement between the two races, letting them move on from their troubled past, whatever that may be. I never knew the full truth, and I might die before I do…" his voice faded. It was the most Link had ever said in one conversation. Just as the Princess opened her mouth to speak, the Hero spoke a final statement.

"But I do know one thing, at least, I think I do. Midna, I believe I finally understand now just who and what you are…. Your people…" he looked to her, blue eyes steeped with red as he left the sentence hanging as if awaiting conformation. His expression was pained. Not that of physical discomfort, but of emotional unease. A weakened and sorrowful smile crossed the face of the Twilight Princess and she let out a sigh.

"So you've figured it out on your own it seems," and he had, for the most part. At least about the existence of the race she mentioned and its connection to the Twili, even if he hadn't known of the legend surrounding them. "But do you know exactly why my people were banished? I've told you of their exile. I believe you can recall my tales from our journey. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all the facts then. Lanayru elaborated on the subject as well, but even he didn't speak in all honesty." She paused, letting Link ponder over just exactly where she was going. Midna still had so much to explain. The Hero didn't know even a fraction of their history and just how tightly he was intertwined with their fate. She took a deep breath before beginning, her speech becoming much more serious and formal than her usual manner, thanks to the way she had learned the legend as a child from her own parents what seemed like so very long ago. She dove into the explanation determined.

"The Sheikah tribe served the Royal Family since the beginning of time, protecting them at all costs. They were also known as the Shadow Folk, for they guarded the royals with their lives, following every move they made but staying hidden to the public eye. Their connection goes back to the origins of Hyrule itself and possibly even earlier, so they had a strong bond, but when a Great Evil arose just as it was destined, the tribe was unable to fulfill their single duty. Some time before their failure, a Hero weakened the Great Evil and with the help of a Princess bearing the crest of the Goddesses as well as the Sages of old, they sealed the darkness in another realm. This was known as the Sacred Realm, the same place Lanayru spoke of. Yet in their impatience to return the kingdom to peace, the dwellers of Light who fought the darkness had forgotten to strip this Evil of the blessing the Goddesses had so ironically bestowed upon it.

"Time passed and an era of peace caused the Sheikah and people of Hyrule to forget the troubles their ancestors faced, so in the process they became lax, slacking on their duty and weakening as the years progressed. Meanwhile, this Evil was in a constant struggle to escape, honing its skills and becoming stronger. Eventually it was able to break free, coming back out of the realm in which it was imprisoned to exact revenge on those that had banished it. The effort of crossing from one world to the other drained much of its power, but the Evil was still far stronger than ones that lived in a generation of purity. The Sheikah were unable to protect their masters, letting one of royal blood die at the hand of the darkness. The Evil got what it had wanted at the time: to kill a descendant of the Princess that banished it, yet that still wasn't enough to satisfy the greed it possessed.

"Instead of grieving, the guardians that had failed in their responsibility became stronger, realizing that if they didn't find another way to banish the darkness then it would come once again, doing even more damage than it had before. Using their magic, the Sheikah rent the boundaries of dimensions, creating a portal to another realm entirely. You know this world as the Twilight Realm, and the portal as the Mirror of Twilight. They sealed the darkness within. Unfortunately, after some time, the essence of Evil was reborn in the world of Light, but the efforts of the Sheikah weren't completely for naught. They had created the other realm as a prison, and it would prove to be useful later.

"A faction of the ones that served the Royal Family felt used when the portal was created. They banded together and with their magic created a dark power… You know this as the Fused Shadows. What possessed them to revolt wasn't entirely known. A legend states that the spirit of the darkness was reborn into one of the Shadow Folk, and in time infected others of the tribe, spreading its malicious aims like disease and allowing the creation of the concentrated dark magic to come into being.

"Whatever the reason, they attempted to use this sorcery to ultimately shatter the spirit of their master… the Princess of Hyrule who possessed the blessing of Wisdom from the Goddesses. They tried taking the shard of divinity from that of the Princess. With their power, the dark ones aimed to rule the hallowed place the spirit of Evil had been imprisoned in… They became known as the Interlopers for their actions, but they didn't just want dominion over the Sacred Realm. The Interlopers wished to destroy the very essence of the Triforce itself, for it would be the ultimate form of revenge... With the utter eradication of the object of immortal lore that the Goddesses left behind, the world would fall into complete chaos, just as it was before the divine beings descended to create order, leaving behind the Golden Triangles once they left this world. The Sheikah that defected would finally attain retribution for the acts that drove them to the edge of sanity.

"In the process of destroying the Triforce, the spirit of Evil that was said to reside in one of the tribe would cease to exist permanently. Either it was blinded just as the Ganondorf of our era was, or it simply didn't care what happened to its existence. All that mattered was making Hyrule and all worlds connected to it a living hell.

"A war broke out as the Interlopers tried to enter the Sacred Realm and many both innocent and not died in the process. It was a time that some believed would live on in the minds of all for eternity, but they had forgotten it involved the Sheikah: the Shadow Folk. No one would know of what had come to pass, the history and knowledge of the Sacred Realm's whereabouts fading into obscurity like shadows..." Midna stopped, taking a break from her tale as the last of her words echoed in the chamber around them. Link's unusual eyes were wide, staring at the Twili who brought her gaze to meet that of his when her voice faded. The Hero knew nothing of all this. Eventually he flopped onto his back, looking up at the ceiling from where he lay on the bed. The Twili turned to face him.

"Are you okay Link?"

"Yes… Midna, it's scary how little of the truth is really known. Thank you for sharing everything with me…" his voice drifted as he tried not to let it shake. The Princess didn't speak for a moment, letting the Hero's mind process everything she'd told him thus far.

"Actually, there's a bit more to this tale," Midna broke the silence between the two. Link glanced at her then proceeded to slowly push himself to a sitting position, facing the Twili and nodding for her to continue once he had taken a few breaths to compose himself and begin digesting the information he was given.

"Eventually those still loyal to the Royal Family got the upper hand in the battle. The Sheikah that revolted were chased across Hyrule. They failed in their efforts to ascend to the Sacred Realm, caught and overthrown by those they defected from. It was because the dark ones weren't able to fight back; their magic from the Fused Shadows had been drained by their efforts in the war. It would take time for the dark sorcery to regain its power, and that was something the Interlopers didn't have. Nothing as horrid as that conflict had come to pass in all the history of Hyrule. It came to be known as the Interloper War, the knowledge of the strife only known to a few. The bloodshed was just as terrible as the legendary war at the beginning of time itself.

"Realizing if nothing was done at this moment when the Interlopers were weak, the destruction of what the Goddesses tried so hard to create would be inevitable. The divine beings themselves decided to interfere instead of simply watching from above. For the first time since the formation of the world, they contacted their creations directly. It was then the Light Spirits intervened at the will of the Goddesses, breaking apart the now weakened magic that the Interlopers had mastered.

"In a last ditch effort, the rebels somehow managed to cling on to one shard of this sorcery, the helm I wore on our journey. The Light Spirits spread the others across Hyrule, and with the help of their power, the loyal Sheikah and the Princess of a new generation who possessed the blessing of the Goddesses once again; they sealed the Interlopers in the Twilight Realm for good.

"The wisest and most loyal of the Sheikah that still served Hyrule's Royal Family stayed behind to guard the gateway to the other world. They cast out all connections to their dark magic and instead embraced the souls of the Sages from long ago whose duty was to watch over the passage to the Sacred Realm from ages past. Since the way to the divine realm was lost in the war, they instead took up the duty of watching over that of the portal to the world of Twilight. Fearing that another rebellion may come, the remaining Shadow Folk secluded themselves from the Royal Family in a far off corner of Hyrule, but still held onto a fragile connection to those they had served for millennia. Yet over time they slowly began to die out, slipping into the shadows until only a few remained. The spirit of the Princess possessing Wisdom of the Goddesses understood that it was what they wanted, and let them do so willingly. The soul of whom I speak is known as Zelda."

Link looked up to Midna at the name of the Hylian Princess he had saved. The Twilight ruler continued.

"This all took place in a long era where a Hero failed to appear. Some believe his spirit had been born into or trapped in another world, just as the spirit of Evil was ages before, a few even say he abandoned his people for his own benefit."

She stopped once more, letting Link grasp everything she had told him so far. It was his soul too that had played a part in all this. Well, that wasn't entirely true. His soul didn't do anything to help or hinder the events that came to pass. She hoped the Hero didn't blame himself for anything.

"Nonetheless, even though the Sheikah themselves had mostly become nonexistent, relics of their past still remain in the world of Light. These artifacts bear the crest of the Sheikah eye.

"You've seen this symbol many times: Zelda's cloak, the Wooden Statue, Howling Stones… the Fused Shadows, and my throne just to name a few. The tear was only added after the banishment to show that the remaining loyal ones regretted the actions of the few dissenters. That's why it isn't present on my ancestor's dark magic. It came from an era when they freshly defected. I'd come to this realization as well as what happened to the few still loyal Shadow Folk from my time in the world of Light. Previous generations that resided in the Twilight Realm didn't know that their relatives resented the actions of those who betrayed them, as the Interlopers had no way of finding out what came to pass in Hyrule after their expulsion.

"For a time the Interlopers tried to fight their way back to the world of Light, one king, an ancestor of mine, even attempted to strengthen the piece Fused Shadow he held and force the Mirror open from our realm. He did this out of greed and a lust for revenge, but failed. He became mad from his efforts and died from the powers that corrupted him. Of course, over time the inhabitants of my realm became peaceful, forgetting most of their troubled history. This legend that tells of our origins has only been passed along my Royal Family line." Midna didn't have much left to explain, but she still took a moment to organize her remaining thoughts. Link sat by her side in tense silence. She didn't meet his eyes, focusing on the clenched hands in her lap.

"The Twilight Realm is the antithesis of Hyrule, a fitting place for the Interlopers. The appearance of the Sheikah that betrayed their masters changed form, becoming shadows of what they once were… In time they became the Twili as a reflection of the world they resided in. The transformation to our current shape took a few generations; only minor changes happened in my ancestor's lives, the children different from their parents… but there were some who underwent it at a more rapid pace, their bodies fighting themselves, the change becoming a progressively quick illness of sorts. Many of them that struggled through that…" she drifted, eyes squeezing shut and expression becoming one of pain. Midna didn't need to say it for Link to understand. They were unable to adapt and had died in the process. She took a deep breath before speaking once more.

"Not only our appearance was altered by the Twilight Realm. Our magic was too. When Zant spoke of the old magic of our people, he meant the sorcery untainted by the Twilight that we held under the reign of the Royal Family of Hyrule. Although we served them with a pure cause, the magic itself was quite dark, coming from the Shadows of the Hylians. After all, with it and the alleged aid of the spirit of Evil born into the tribe, the Fused Shadows were created. Darkness and Light go hand in hand yet don't mix in that way, something we know all too well."

The two were silent for a moment, Midna catching her breath after talking for what seemed like forever.

"Anyway, once the Sheikah that betrayed the Royal Family of Hyrule were trapped in the Twilight Realm, the need for the Mirror wasn't necessary until the spirit of Evil was reborn as the Ganondorf of this era. I'm assuming it was after the incident of sealing him that the Sages used the great chains to bind the portal closed. In time it was buried beneath the sands of the desert, forgotten once again just as the Shadow Folk were. Eventually Ganondorf and Zant united in the Twilight Realm.

"Using the magic that Ganondorf bestowed upon Zant, the Usurper King banished me to the world of Light, the Fused Shadow that had been passed down the line of my Royal Family and was in my possession at the time indirectly aided their cause – unintentionally of course. It was drawn by the magic that inhabited the Twili that betrayed me. In turn, some of its magic ended up in the possession of Zant. Our powers intermingled. I had sensed a dark sorcery that wasn't known to my tribe. I had also felt this when Zant confronted us after obtaining the final piece of Fused Shadow and then stripping my powers from me. Even though the Usurper King stole my ancestor's magic, he couldn't wield the Fused Shadows to their full potential because he wasn't of royal blood. Just like the Mirror, the Fused Shadows only fully cooperate with the true ruler of the Twili.

"It was in time that I learned what I'd felt during our confrontations was really Ganondorf; his spirit of Evil is what I had noticed. I believe that our mixture of old and new magic in addition to Ganondorf's power is what enabled Zant to enter Hyrule. As for getting back… I'm still not sure. He could have broken the Mirror at any time. Nonetheless, what I had ended up with in our struggle wasn't enough for me to return, and I didn't know the location of the Mirror from Hyrule's side. Maybe Zant had gained more magic from our skirmish than I had originally thought. In any case, I could no longer return without his help. I decided to use that to my advantage though.

"Once in the Light realm, I immediately headed for Zelda and told her what must be done to defeat the one who had usurped me. Because of the use of the Fused Shadow in my magic struggle with Zant, I only had enough power for teleportation and relatively minor magic feats. I couldn't fight him on my own and knew my ancestor's magic wouldn't regain its full power in time to do so unless I reunited all four pieces. It was the same struggle the Interlopers that defected had. Ironic in a sense. Anyway, I told Zelda of the legend of the blue-eyed beast and set out in search for our mythical hero. Not long after, I had found you and the events we endured together came to pass. From there you know everything up until this very moment."

Midna finally finished her lengthy explanation; letting Link absorb the excessive amount of information she had presented him with. It was too much for him. The Hero felt dizzy. Whether it be from what his body was undergoing, or the history that came as a slap to his face, he didn't know. Finally, after what seemed like ages of cold, oppressive silence, Link spoke.

"If I'm part Sheikah…"

"Link, don't worry. Your ancestry is pure, being a descendant of the ones who were from Hyrule. I'm the one who is tainted. I am corrupt."

With her words the Hero held his arm before him, turning it to inspect the change it had undergone. The soft glow of the walls illuminated the Triforce and the unnatural lines along his skin that threatened to consume the ancient and divine virtue he had been blessed with.

"As am I, Midna."

The Twilight Princess reached for Link's arm, taking the hands of the Hero in hers and gently squeezing them; the red in their eyes drawn to one another as the pained gazes of the two met.

"Link… I've told you the history of the Sheikah. We must bear these sins of our past, carrying the knowledge of this to the end of time… and I've burdened you with it. Now you know the whole truth."

* * *

 **A/N: That was quite a bit of info. Sorry if it seems confusing as of now. It should all make sense in due time and don't worry – it will be further expanded on. Creating my own mythology for the** _ **Zelda**_ **series is proving to be quite a fun task!**


	7. Facta, non Verba

**Chapter Seven**

 _Facta, non Verba  
_ "Deeds, not Words"

* * *

Link slept for the rest of the day. It was understandable, after the entirety of what the Princess had explained to him. Now he knew everything.

Well… not exactly everything.

Midna still didn't know how to tell him the one truth of hers that she wished to express; even after all she had so willingly spoke of. But maybe that was for the best though. The Twili didn't want to plague him with another burden as of now, a worry on top of all those that currently mentally – and physically – ailed Link.

* * *

The Hero awoke sometime in the evening as Midna was bringing him food. She entered the room as he sat on the edge of the bed, face in hands while his elbows were propped atop his knees. He looked up as she entered, the red edges of his eyes a sight she thought she would never get used to.

"Link, how are you feeling?" the Twili asked, concerned just as much for his mental health as that of his physical wellbeing.

"I'm okay, just…tired," he looked to his arm as she handed him some cured Shadow Kargarok meat to chew on. Either the two of them were seeing things, or the vein like lines had snaked their way the slightest bit further along his skin. Neither of them said anything about it though.

For the most part Link had digested the basics of the information Midna had told him. Resting let him come to a few conclusions himself, reinforcing the notion that had bothered him for so long now. He needed to tell the Princess at some point, but there was just too much currently going on to bring it up. He didn't want to add another trouble to her list anyway, so he stayed silent and began to tear into the meat he was given.

The Twili looked over him, suppressing a small shudder at the sight of his unnatural markings. Somehow she couldn't help but feel as if the black lines themselves burned his skin wherever they crawled. After a few moments she spoke.

"I've been thinking a lot Link… about your condition." His physical appearance and ailments mostly matched up with that of the descriptions her ancestors had gone through when their bodies had tried to rapidly adapt while fighting the magic of the realm. She was just now realizing that she didn't explain the ones who had undergone accelerated change were supposedly of mixed blood, just as he was. Maybe that was for the best though, as she didn't want to worry him more. Link glanced up at her words, swallowing a bite of his food and taking another.

"You're not going to like this, but…" the Twilight Princess drifted, summoning the Shadow Crystal. She thought they'd never need it again, but she had brought it with her nonetheless. The object was much too dangerous to leave lying around in Hyrule unprotected and she didn't wish to burden Zelda with it, knowing that it wasn't right to place more pain on the shoulders of Hyrule's Princess. "I've come to the conclusion that it's best if you inhabit your wolf form for the meantime, until we come up with a more… permanent solution to your situation."

Link stopped chewing on the meat and looked to the dark magic that hovered above the hand of the ruler, remembering the moment it had first penetrated his skull when he had tried to protect Midna after Zant's surprise appearance in Lanayru's spring upon the two completing the Lakebed Temple. Other than the first transformation in Faron Woods, the transitions between forms weren't painful, just an inconvenience as his body and mind took a moment or two to adapt to the changes they underwent.

"I'm saying this because I've thought on it since you went through… that," Midna explained, eyes not meeting his as she referred to Link's nightmarish experience. Her gaze went back to him a moment later. "Zant's magic was a combination of our tribe's and that of the Demon King's. Although he was a Gerudo, Ganondorf still used sorcery from the world of Light, uncorrupted by the Twilight, even though his magic was already dark. Zant drew from Ganondorf's power to amplify his own. In effect, the Shadow Crystal that was produced from that should act as a mediate between your Hylian and Sheikah blood, keeping them in equal balance against the effects of the Twilight Realm for a time. I hope it can ease your pain," the Twili finished, not explaining that she had secretly spent every free moment she had looking further into the legend only to no avail as she tried to find a way to permanently stop or reverse the damage that had been done. Unfortunately this looked to be the only sort of way to help him, at least when it came to a form of a cure found in her world.

"I… understand. Thank you Midna," Link replied, swallowing the last bite of the meat that he had quickly inhaled. The Hero's gaze didn't meet hers as his eyes focused on the orange runes that glowed on the surface of the magic relic. He gingerly reached out towards the icon, his hand hovering for a moment, its patterns vaguely resembling a form of the ones on his skin, but much more similar to the runes that had covered Midna's hands and arms when she was cursed as an imp.

He hadn't been a wolf for so long… Link was slightly frightened to return to that state, but thought the Twili's reasoning was valid and he knew he didn't want to once again experience what he had gone through just the other night. Link took a breath and touched the crystal a moment later; the familiar sensation of Twilight consuming him overcame the Hero.

The transformations were always odd as the instant the magic began to take effect he felt nothing, almost as if his physical form was in another plane entirely. After Link began to take shape again, his vision that previously saw blackness blurred with color. Once it had cleared, things were different yet all so familiar. Everything seemed to have another layer to it, his senses more in depth. He could smell his own change about himself. Link looked up to Midna, who had by now pulled over a chair from her desk. She placed the object near the bed, sitting on it and looking down at the Hero.

As she laid her eyes on the wolf in front of her, Midna didn't realize how much she'd missed seeing it, and the memories that came along with this shape. After all, she had witnessed the first transformation he had gone through after entering the curtain of Twilight that blanketed Faron Province. At the time she cringed in pain at what he underwent, his screams a reflection of what she so desperately held back after seeing her own altered form. Midna had smiled upon witnessing Link's change though, knowing she could use it to her advantage. Looking back the Twili didn't understand how she could have ever thought of simply using him as a tool for her own aims. She had been so selfish, and in a way, she still vaguely was. Knowing what she soon had to do next. The Princess hoped everyone would understand when she finally got around to telling the three.

The Twili shook the notion from head, instead letting memories of their travels when he was a wolf surface in her mind, reality tugging at the corners of her thoughts and bringing the Princess back to the present a moment later.

"Your beast form... Exactly how you remember it? Instincts returning yet?" she asked with a weak smile in an effort to lighten the mood. Midna hadn't cracked a single one of her witticisms since this began and frankly found that quite painful. She missed them and the way he would rebut her statements. The Twili recalled how on their journey he would simply brush them aside or ignore her gibes, but over time and by the end of their travels, he had found them amusing as well, playing along with her words. The friendship they shared then had been so wonderful, and she still hoped that one day it would turn into something more… but for now Midna had to cling onto what they had, no matter how frail it seemed in his current state.

Link made a small nod in agreement to her statement then proceeded to turn and jump on the surface behind him. After the transformation, he'd ended up on the ground. The Hero in the body of a beast paced in circles for a moment, finding a comfortable position and curling up on the bed, paws crossed over one another as he rested his chin on top.

This was a comforting feeling, his alternate form. He closed his eyes and let out a breath. Resting as a wolf was different than that of relaxing in his true shape. Even when at peace there was alertness just under the layer of calm. He sensed Midna stand from her seat, walking over to the bed and sitting on it next to him. Without a word, she lay down at arm's length and placed her hand atop the head of the Hero in his bestial form. She gently scratched his forehead and he swept his tail side to side in satisfaction. After a few moments her hand stilled.

The Twili sighed. She was tired after worrying about him all day. Although Link hadn't left her room, she herself had been frantically running about her kingdom. The Princess had a lot of preparation to do for what was to come. She'd tell Link her plans in the morning. For now though she needed rest.

* * *

Link awoke the slightest bit shocked; at first forgetting that he'd been transformed to his alternate shape the night before but soon the Hero remembered the conclusion Midna had come to regarding his appearance.

The beast stood up on all fours, stretching like all dogs do and letting a quiet whine escape his wide jaws as he yawned. Link looked to the sleeping form of the Twili that lay on her side facing away from him. He nudged her shoulder with his snout and the Princess shifted in her sleep, hand brushing where his wet nose had touched.

She hadn't woken up.

He hopped off the bed, walking over to the water basin in the corner of the room as the chain from the shackle on his ankle dragged across the floor, the only sound in the otherwise silent chambers. Once Link came to a stop before the small pool, he looked at his reflection, blue earrings the only sign he was ever something other than a beast.

The Hero had so much to say to himself and to Midna, things regarding what they had discussed just recently, and things of his past that had been left unspoken. Though he knew what he wanted to say most was what he would be least likely to tell her, from all the events that had come to pass and also the fact that he was somehow unable to summon the courage to speak the simple words of what he felt. Something seemed to be blocking the truth from coming out.

Oh, the irony.

Maybe he could just bark to her, repeating the statement in his mind. No, that was stupid. What was he thinking? It would get them nowhere and she would probably find the action quite irritating.

Though _she_ had annoyed _him_ often enough on their journey together. That gave the Hero an idea. Link turned from the basin, walking over to the chair that was still next to the bed from the previous night. He effortlessly jumped up on it. In this form he felt more full of energy, but at least some of that could be attributed to his excessive amount of rest. Either way, Midna was right. It had helped him to become a wolf; even if the only aid Link received from his alternate shape was that he no longer had to see the unnatural markings crawling on his own body.

The Hero sat on the chair, looking at the calm and relaxed form of the Twili. Link almost decided against his plan at seeing her in peace, but choose to follow it through. He took a deep breath and a moment later leaned his head back, letting out a howl. It felt so good. Why didn't he ever do this in his other form?

Before he could think on it more, a pillow came flying at him, knocking the Hero in the body of a beast from his perch. Link whimpered when he hit the ground. That was uncalled for.

"Link! Oh Goddesses… I'm so sorry!" Midna said, jumping from the bed and rushing to his side. "I thought you were an enemy. I grabbed the nearest thing and threw it. Ugh! I'm such an idiot!" the Princess felt stupid for her actions. Of course he wouldn't be an enemy as there were none in the Twilight Realm anymore thanks to him. It had been so long since the two would fear a surprise attack when resting on their journey. As she was contemplating this, Link had pushed himself up and shook to straighten his fur, an action quite familiar. Midna couldn't help but laugh at the movement, and of his howl that awoke her. The Twili realized his behavior had relieved some of the stress plaguing her.

His eyes met hers, showing that Link understood her actions and accepted the apology. In the beast form his irises retained their blue glow, no signs of the transformation itself were present. It seemed Midna's conclusion on the use of magic was correct. Of course, he couldn't always stay in this form. Link wasn't a wolf. He was of Sheikah and Hylian blood, even if those two were fighting for dominance in a way, fighting against the magic of the Twilight Realm, his true form was still something he rightfully deserved, especially so after all he had gone through to get it back. Midna understood that better than anyone could, having to endure the same struggle in a sense.

The Twili sighed, wondering if they would ever truly be free of all these troubles. She had run away when it was all over, separating her realm from the one of Light in hopes of preventing any more pain. It seemed she had only made it worse though… She brushed the sorrowful thought aside, looking at Link's bestial form with a small smile.

Resting had helped the both of them be relieved of some of the pressure of everything that had come to pass, and now she and Link felt prepared for what was to come, especially since the Princess had made almost all of the necessary preparations beforehand. All except the most important ones, she realized. An immediate matter surfaced in Twili's mind, shocked that she had forgotten it but at the same time realizing it was only natural after everything that had come to pass so unexpectedly.

"Link…" the Princess spoke, eyes wide at her sudden realization. He tilted his canine head in response.

Maybe this thing with the wolf form would be a bit more difficult than she anticipated. Midna had easily learned how to read and understand his cues on their journey, but holding a conversation was an entirely different matter. The Princess of Twilight sighed.

She placed her hand on his forehead, gently scratching the fur. After a moment the Twili stopped, pulling her hand back and letting the palm hover over his head as she drew the magic from him. Once the crystal was free of his body, the form of the Hero began to change. Link stood up after the transformation completed, shaking his head and pulling his hand through his hair while he let out a breath. His appearance was exactly the same as before she transformed him the previous night; the lines on his skin hadn't progressed further, but at the same time they hadn't receded at all.

"Link, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. I'm just not used to it after a year. It did help though. Thanks Midna." The Hero was feeling somewhat better. It felt good to admit that truthfully to her. "Sorry about earlier… that wasn't exactly the nicest thing I did."

"It's alright. I understand. After all this sudden stress… I think we both need a break. It helped, actually," she smiled weakly for a brief moment, and then took on an air of seriousness once more. "Anyway, about what I brought up a moment ago… Today is the meeting."

The Hero sat down on the chair that Midna had pulled aside last night. He'd completely forgot that the members of the houses were to assemble today, just as she had apparently.

"Midna, I don't want your people see me like this…" he drifted, looking at the lines along his skin.

"Link, we have to let them know… We need to find a way to stop this. In truth I had already discussed with them about having the next meeting here, since last time you were so tired. I thought it would relieve some of your stress. With everything that's happened though, I had forgotten about it until now. They should be arriving within the hour."

That didn't give them much time, but Midna knew what needed to be done.

"I'll handle it. You will be there too, of course. The house leaders don't know of the Legend of the Sheikah, but I'll explain about your illness…" she drifted. The Twili came to a conclusion that had been hovering about her mind since he first displayed the red eyes of their ancestors. A conclusion she didn't necessarily want to face because of how impossible it seemed. Even she admitted the improbability to him the moment they entered her realm together a year past. But now the Princess had little choice but to cling to a glimmer of hope that it was still somehow possible.

"Link…you need to return to Hyrule," she told him sternly and with a hint of sadness. He looked at her incredulously. "Zelda will know what to do. Her wisdom should enable her to have knowledge about this subject that even I lack, legends from her world are bound to give us insight… besides, by going to Hyrule you should be free of the effects of the Twilight Realm, hopefully even further slowing down your… problem." Midna didn't know if it would fully stop his change or not, so she avoided giving him too much false hope. The Princess didn't bring up the subject if he couldn't return, for whatever reason, and of course she wouldn't let him go on his own. She couldn't risk the chance of somehow losing him. Midna had no clue how they would leave anyway, with the Mirror being shattered for good.

Link continued to stare at her, his gaze unfocused as the Hero's mind raced, wondering what the Twili would think of him like this… Wondering what he thought of himself like this. The thoughts of returning to his homeland were prodding the corners of his consciousness. Link had his suspicions…

After a short while Midna broke his concentration.

"Link, we must get ready."

* * *

"I'm glad we can meet here today," the Twilight Princess spoke to her people. The group of four Twili stood about a glowing platform used for transportation that had now been temporarily converted into a table of sorts for them to hold their conference around.

"Link will be joining us shortly, but first I must ask of you if it would be possible to form the council you had held under Zant's rule." The various houses managed surprisingly well when under Zant's reign, having formed a council of sorts behind his back to keep peace in the realm.

The Twili looked to each other, expressions of concern on their faces, but they nodded to one another and turned back to Midna.

"Yes, of course, but… why is it that you ask this of us, Princess?" spoke the one to Midna's left. He was a tall and skinny Twili, slightly above Midna's height. The house leader that had spoken went by the name of Amurg.

"Link or I may not be able to conduct meetings for a time… we are going to be leaving, and fear that we don't know when we can return," the Princess replied. She felt terrible for not having been able to think over this longer and discuss it with Link – or anyone else – in advance.

"How are you going to accomplish this? I thought the Mirror had been shattered from the other side by your hand, Your Highness," Senja, a slightly younger Twili than the last, spoke with a hint of shock in her voice. The woman's dark orange hair was bound in two braids hanging next to her ears and they bobbed the slightest as she mildly shook her head in disbelief at the words of the Princess.

Midna bit the inside of her lip. In truth she didn't know.

"I have a question as well," the one next to Senja piped up. This was by far the shortest of the group, being a couple of centimeters under the Hero's height.

"Yes, Solpor?" Midna asked turning her gaze to her right and escaping the previous inquiry for the moment.

"You told us Link would be here as well. May we discuss the matter with him?"

"Of course. Link," Midna called, turning her head to the door behind Amurg. It slid aside mere moments after she spoke the Hero's name. She could tell he'd been listening to their conversation.

Link entered the room. Midna had given him a sheet to cover his body with as to not surprise the Twili with the Hero's sudden change in appearance. She continued as he approached and came to stand next to her.

"Link… isn't well. That is the reason we have to venture to Hyrule once more. I… please don't be shocked at his appearance," Midna nodded to the Hero and he pulled back the fabric that hung over his head, in the process exposing his altered arms as he reached for the hood.

The Twili blinked, gazes following the markings on his skin and finally meeting his strange eyes.

"I see. We will do as you say," Senja said. The others nodded in agreement a few moments later. Midna sighed.

"Thank you so much for understanding. I'm very sorry to present this to you, especially so suddenly."

"Princess, it is fine. You have gone through much suffering you do not deserve. We wish not for more to fall upon you or Link. We are more than happy to take care of things here," Amurg said to consolidate her.

"We wish you a safe journey and passage to the Light Realm," Solpor followed up with. Senja bowed her head, braids swinging with the movement, once Midna's gaze crossed hers. None brought up exactly how they would accomplish getting from one world to the next. That was something they would allow the Princess and Hero to further address on their own.

* * *

After the Twili had left the room, the Princess and Link stood face to face.

"Midna… I never knew about the council forming in your absence," the Hero spoke. In truth he hadn't thought about how her realm functioned during the time she had been expelled from it. Zant obviously wasn't the best ruler, having turned the Twili into Shadow Beasts. It seems they managed to get by somehow though.

"I guess I just never found reason to tell you… It's somewhat of a sad story too, at least when it comes to Aralie." Midna stopped there. Link continued to look at her. She realized he wished for her to continue, wanting to know the past of the girl.

"I was told of all this only after returning here with you. It was when I was talking with the head members of the houses before I had formally introduced you to them. Amurg told me, as Aralie is a member of his house. In all actuality, Amurg hasn't always been the leader. Aralie's mother was. Her father passed on when she was little, so all she had was her mother, who had openly opposed Zant's rule, and as a warning to others who would do the same… he killed her."

"Aralie's an orphan?" Link asked, slightly shocked. The Hero had never questioned her seemingly constant presence outside the front of the palace, thinking she simply didn't spend time with her parents. Link always treated the children of Ordon as siblings, but something about the way he acted towards Aralie was slightly different, more fatherly, and now he knew the reason why. He never expected to the girl to have a vaguely similar past to that of his, growing up alone in a sense. It seemed he had unconsciously taken her under his wing in a way.

"Yes. Amurg took over the leadership of Aralie's house after Zant's actions. Although he didn't like the Usurper King either, Amurg didn't dare show defiance against Zant. He met with Solpor and Senja and the three of them created the council in secret to keep the matters of the realm in order. None of their actions were done openly because they feared what would happen to them. Even though the house as a whole took Aralie in as a family, she still enjoys spending most of her time in front of the palace because it was a favorite place of her mother's. It seems she never fully integrated back into her own house after her mother's passing," Midna explained. Link looked at her, now fully understanding.

"She seems so…" he didn't finish, gaze drifting to look unfocused at nothing.

"Link, she really looks up to you."

He had noticed. After hearing all this Link wanted to say goodbye to her before they found a way back to Hyrule, not knowing when they would return, but knew he couldn't. He didn't want to scare the girl with his appearance, just as he did with his absence after the night Midna found him.

"Anyway, enough of that. We have work to do," Midna said, brushing aside the sad past and focusing on the important present. Link nodded.

The two had to figure out how they would to return to the world of Light.

* * *

 **A/N: 3,000 views on this story?! Thank you so much everyone! I'm so glad you are reading (and hopefully enjoying) it! ^_^**  
 **Does anyone know the meaning of the Twili names? Answers will be posted in the author's note of the next chapter, but feel free to guess in the meantime. (Sorry, but there will be no rewards. :P)**


	8. Ex Umbra in Solem

**Chapter Eight**

 _Ex Umbra in Solem  
_ "From the Shadow into the Light"

* * *

Link lay curled up on the Twili's bed in his bestial form while Midna paced about her room. All day since the conference had ended she'd been trying to figure out how to go between realms. Shortly after the meeting with the houses the Hero had collapsed. The Princess turned him into a wolf without hesitation, knowing that if she kept him in his true form he ran the risk of going through another episode of sorts. She didn't want to see him in that pain again, and knew that he didn't want to endure it.

Midna had been mumbling to herself as Link slept.

"The magic of my people isn't powerful enough to get us back to Hyrule or else they would have returned long ago… In addition to that, our powers changed from our time in the Twilight Realm…" She had reached the end of the room and spun around, continuing to walk back the way she had just come. "We have no way of contacting Zelda and asking for her assistance, as the Mirror had been the only connection… Ugh!" the Princess of Twilight let out an exasperated sigh, plopping down on the bed next to Link. The Hero's head perked up when he felt her presence and the Twili fell onto her back, looking at the ceiling above.

There really was no way back.

No, she wouldn't let herself rest until they found a solution. The Princess regretted using her powers to ultimately shatter the Mirror. If she knew Link would have to go through this, Midna would have gladly left the portal, facing any catastrophe from one world that came into the other. The two side-by-side could handle it, just as they had before.

Midna pushed herself into a sitting position, turning to look at Link, a sorrowful smile on her face. The Princess ruffled the fur on the top of his head, the same motion she would do to him in his true form to get on his nerves. Of course in his wolf body the action was quite pleasing. Link couldn't help but let his tail sweep across the bed. Soon Midna stopped petting him though, slowly drawing the Shadow Crystal from the Hero's forehead and letting him return to his true form. Her demeanor was serious once more as his strange gaze settled on her, but that only lasted until he spoke.

"I was enjoying that," Link said, slightly disappointed. He seemed more… normal. His physical appearance hadn't progressively changed much thanks to the use of the Shadow Crystal, and from the way he spoke; the Twili could tell he was feeling much better as well.

"Then why don't you enjoy it when I do it to you in this form?" she joked. Midna had forgotten what their conversations had been like before the change. This was a nice little break from their worries. Link brushed aside her lighthearted words.

"Anyway, why did you transform me?"

Midna chewed on the inside of her cheek, drawing her gaze away from his and looking to the ground. She didn't know what to say, having thought all day on it but still not coming to a single plausible solution to their predicament. She couldn't let him live the remainder of his life as a wolf, so there just had to be a solution somewhere. The Princess tried summing up her thoughts, hoping Link would have insight as to how they could return to Hyrule.

"My ancestors weren't able to get out of this realm and return to the world of Light even with the Mirror. They'd have opened it from this side not long after their banishment if that were the case. They did try as well, but as you know they failed. Without it, I… how can we…" she drifted, unable to word the fact that returning would be impossible. To tell Link he would either have to spend the rest of his life as a beast or never be able to recover in his true form and instead break apart, leaving her behind.

Link finally thought it was the time to disclose to Midna what had been bothering the Hero over the past months. He hadn't said it sooner as to not worry her, and with the recent events he had almost forgotten about the subject that had been plaguing his mind, but now… Now was when she needed to hear it.

"Zant," the Hero spoke, the single syllable was harsh in the otherwise calm and silent room. The name of the one who had usurped her caused Midna to tense. Zant was dead. There was no doubt about that. The feeling of utterly shattering a soul is unforgettable and it was something that Midna never again wanted to experience. It was that sensation the Interlopers had so desperately craved when they attempted to destroy the spirit of the wielder of Wisdom. Midna didn't understand what could possibly drive anyone to do such a thing willingly. Did the greed for the Triforce really have that power? To push someone to the past brink of sanity, corrupting his or her very soul? She dismissed the thought at the words Link continued to speak.

"It's not actually Zant per se, it has more to do with the Fused Shadows… Have they regained their magic?" he asked, gaze not meeting hers as the Princess of Twilight brought her shocked face up to look at his.

"Are you saying…" That was it, but… it was too risky. True, Midna had gathered what remained of the Fused Shadows and their magic after Ganondorf had been defeated. They were relics her ancestors didn't have access to during the time, only one in their possession not being powerful enough, but all four…

Link couldn't be thinking…

"Midna, if I'm part Sheikah, I should be able to use that power," he spoke to her with an expression that showed both pain and determination.

"Link, it doesn't matter if you're part Sheikah. Just as Zant, you don't have the royal blood of the Twili. When we came to the Twilight Realm, our appearance and magic adapted to this world, like I said when I was explaining our history. I guess I didn't elaborate on it before, but those who had stronger magic didn't undergo as much of a physical change. Because our magic was no longer the same, the majority of the Twili were unable to use the Fused Shadows to their full potential, but the ones who retained many of the features of the Sheikah still had relatively untainted magic in comparison with those that didn't. They ended up becoming the Royal Family because of their powers and the similarities they had to their ancestors."

The Hero looked over the Princess before him. It was true. Link had never thought on it, but her characteristics were drastically different than that of the other Twili. Even Zant's appearance seemed alien compared to that of Midna's. If her skin didn't have the bluish tinge and her eyes and hair were not so bright, she could easily pull off being a native of Hyrule, albeit a tall one for a female. Midna's exotic beauty was one of the things he found so wonderful about her. Of course the looks of the Princess weren't the reason Link liked her, far from it, as the Hero knew he cared for the royal in a deeper way long before the identity of the Twili was revealed. Even if she had never regained her true form, he would still love Midna for being the one he had come to know throughout their shared struggles. He just seemed unable to tell her that, especially now with everything that was happening to him.

Her eyes briefly met his and Link hoped she hadn't caught him staring. The Hero looked away a moment later and Midna continued shortly, only for her voice to drift.

"Besides…" She thought back to the moment she first summoned the magic of her ancestors: destroying Zant with merely a single hateful and revenge filled thought. Even if the relics contained only some of the power that she herself had only used a fraction of, it could still very well rip Link apart if he attempted to use them. Even if he didn't directly control the sorcery, just being exposed to magic that dark could accelerate the process… Though they didn't have much of a choice. He was already being torn asunder in a way. The Twili's thoughts focused back on the Hero as he took a deep breath and began to elaborate on the reasoning behind his earlier statement.

"Midna, Zant was able to go between this realm and Hyrule _after_ he broke the Mirror into four pieces. This had to be true because he got back to the Twilight Realm _before_ we completed the Mirror. He confronted us in Arbiter's Grounds, however briefly, and was waiting for us in the throne room here in the palace. I know what we saw right before the fight with Stallord wasn't one of his phantoms. Those were different, so he must have met us in person. He couldn't have used Ganondorf's magic alone to travel between the two places or else the Gerudo would have come back to Hyrule earlier, housing his power in another helpless Twili with little or no magic of their own. The only way the Usurper King could have traveled from Light to Twilight was with the help of the power of the Fused Shadows he had stolen from you, even if he couldn't use them to their full potential, that magic combined with Ganondorf's may have been enough. After all, he was able to expel you from the Twilight realm after cursing you with the combined powers of his own, the Demon King, and the single Fused Shadow you possessed. That magic is really our only chance now," Link let out a sigh after he finished his explanation and looked at Midna in silence for a few moments. This was the first time the two held the gaze of the other for more than a moment since after the Hero collapsed earlier in the day.

Now she noticed that the whites of his eyes had become more yellow. The Princess couldn't tell if it was from stress or what his body was undergoing. She really didn't know what to think at this point. Her expression softened, not wanting to see him pained any longer.

"I understand. Then that is what we will do. We will return to Hyrule… with the magic of my ancestors."

But Midna wasn't entirely positive if she was ready for that, and neither brought up the fact that they may not be able to get back without the Mirror.

* * *

It had now been a full twenty-four hours since the meeting and the two informed the council of their plans. They had made sure to get plenty of rest and food the night before as well. After all, Link and Midna didn't know when they would have another chance to relax and be at peace. They were about to face the unknown and that meant they had to be ready for anything.

Now they stood in the throne room. A fitting place to summon the magic the Interlopers had mastered, as it was where Midna regained all four pieces of the Fused Shadow from Zant following his defeat. It was the first place she had used their ancient magic as well, never having summoned the powers of her people in the brief time she possessed them before the Usurper King snuck up in Lanayru's spring and deprived the rightful Princess of her abilities.

Midna turned to Link. He was wearing the same sheet she'd given him to hide beneath during the meeting. The Hero thought it would be best to stay concealed as much as possible when in the Light Realm. The Twili would stand out too much in Hyrule, and Link's appearance wasn't exactly normal either. For this same reason he had donned his green tunic once more, taking up the garb of the Hero that served as familiar clothes to the people of Hyrule. Link was almost glad that nearly no one in the world of Light knew of his deeds as Hero, for the green cloth would draw attention if that were so. Instead it would work as traditional attire of the Hylians. Twili robes, even hidden beneath a cloak, might stand out too much if someone caught a glance. Midna's appearance was already risky as is. She held another sheet for herself, not yet hiding beneath the mantle since she needed to prepare the gateway to Zelda's kingdom.

"You ready?" the Princess asked, slightly nervous. She never liked the feeling of the Fused Shadows: oppressing and dark, full of wanton anger from the past. Midna shuddered at the thought that her ancestors took joy in this darkness.

"Yes," the Hero replied. There was no turning back now; their only option was forward. Midna had told him while they were eating not long ago that it would be best for Link to reside in the body of a beast during the travel. She feared that if he were to stay in his true form, the process of his transformation would accelerate from the use of sorcery as potent as the Fused Shadows. Contact with magic that forceful as he was now ran too many risks, and still did so even in his bestial form. Although far from perfect, the latter remained the better option out of the two.

Midna summoned the Shadow Crystal and Link reached towards it without hesitation, letting the Twilight consume him once more, taking the form of an all too familiar beast. In the process of the transformation, the excess cloth that had covered his figure had fallen about him. The Hero in the body of a wolf shook his head free from the fabric, looking up to the Twilight Princess. The material would prove useful later, but now it was only a hindrance. Link freed himself from the inadvertent trap, meeting her gaze again and flicking his ears, blue earrings catching the light and glinting for a moment. Midna took that as a sign, nodding to him as she stepped back, not wanting to get the Hero caught up in the powerful and darkened magic she was about to summon.

Midna conjured the ancient relics, letting their parts slowly circle her form as the pieces hovered around. The fragment that had adorned her head had been broken into three smaller chunks from Ganondorf's attack, but now those shards were back to one, their powers having mostly recovered from the past year's events. The seams were just barely visible from where they connected together once more, forming the familiar crown of sorts that she had worn on their journey together.

The Princesss drew her gaze from the sections of the stone mask and met Link's blue bestial eyes. He nodded and she returned the gesture, their silent agreement to be prepared for whatever may happen. The Princess of Twilight took a deep breath, closing her eyes. The relics suddenly converged, closing in on her head and forming a helm that adorned the Twili, just as it had done when she summoned the powers of her ancestors multiple times before while in her other form.

The Hero recalled what Midna had looked like in her impish body the moment the Fused Shadows covered her tiny figure. She was almost completely concealed beneath the ancient mask at that time, but now if fit her almost perfectly, looking like a natural yet foreign extension of herself. The aquamarine runes on her form began to change to orange, glow radiating outward and spreading to cover not only her markings, but the rest of her skin as well. The similar patterns on the Fused Shadows themselves began to do the same. Seeping from the etchings, the light crawled along the grooves in the stone until the helm shone almost painfully bright.

Little bolts of magic snaked their way in the air around her, their movements quickly becoming more erratic. A flash of orange-ish red and black sparks danced from the body of the Princess, darting about her form at random angles and directions. Link jumped back, narrowly avoiding one such burst of magic as it came arcing towards him. Some came together, forming small spheres of concentrated power similar to what the Twili in her imp shape had summoned to break the shackle that bound the Hero as a wolf upon their first meeting. After a moment or two, the orbs burst and Midna's body began to shake, her hands flying to the mask, nails desperately clawing at the stone as she tried to free herself from the harsh influence of past mistakes.

Link wanted to shout her name, to call for her to make sure she was safe, but that was impossible in his current form. He realized that the Princess probably wouldn't be able to hear him anyway, as it appeared she became unaware of everything once the magic seemingly possessed her.

Midna let out what sounded like an excruciatingly painful scream, and light burst from her figure, forcing Link to avert his gaze. Once his sight returned from the sudden blinding flash, his wide eyes settled on the inhuman behemoth before him.

The great spider-like monster that held the body of the Twilight Princess somewhere deep within summoned a giant spear, the exact one used to shatter the barrier over Hyrule Castle. The creature drew its arms back, preparing to strike the air above the throne before it, readying itself to rent the boundaries of dimensions themselves.

Link watched in utter horror. Even though he'd seen the monstrosity before, it was still a shock to him, knowing that Midna was somewhere within that creature. He still couldn't get used to the fact that magic as powerful as this existed, by the hands of their ancestors no less. The Goddesses did have a right to fear for their creations if one tribe held a dark power such as this.

The creature thrust the lance forward, the tip stopping before the throne and a small black sphere formed at the end of the weapon where it stilled. The object began to quiver, and the arms of the creature shook, another two of its appendages gripping the shaft to stabilize it while forcing the weapon further into the slowly expanding black void.

Link unconsciously took a step backwards, in the process tripping over the grey-black shall that had been discarded but previously covered his true shape. After pushing himself up once more, the Hero's gaze returned to the creation of the Fused Shadows.

In one swift movement, the creature removed a hand from the spear, quickly thrusting one of its many arms into the darkness. Another hand followed, now only two held the spear. The tip of the object that tore the hole in space began to crack; mildly glowing jagged lines resembling the ones that covered the Twilight Portals in Hyrule crawled up the shaft. The creature let go of the weapon, allowing it fall to the ground and disappear into Twilight particles as it hit the stone surface.

Now Midna held the portal with four of the monster's hands, keeping it open and slowly making the gateway wider. Suddenly, a bright flash of light came from the hole, blowing the Twili's possessed form back and throwing her against the opposite wall. Link crouched, pushing himself as close to the ground as possible to not loose his footing from the wave of pressure coming from the newly created portal.

Then, without any warning, the air was completely still.

Link stared at it in awe. Before him, hovering in front of the throne was the portal to another world. It was vaguely similar to the ones they used for travel throughout Hyrule, but at the same time it seemed like the antithesis of what they had come to know so well. The gateway looked as if it were black hole, orange-ish red sparks crackling along its edges, the deepest black, darker than that of even the portals in Hyrule, was within the center as it seemed to pull even light deep within itself.

After recovering from the initial shock of the sight, the Hero spun to face Midna, who now lie on the ground unmoving. The Fused Shadows returned to they had been stored before they were brought out, wherever she kept them. Link immediately ran to her side, the only sound was of the metal shackle around his ankle as it clinked against the stone floor. Using his snout, the Hero pushed against her shoulder, turning Midna onto her back. She was breathing heavy, sweat dripping from her forehead. Link whimpered, worried about her condition.

Midna's eyes popped open and she slowly pushed herself up, meeting Link's concerned gaze. A sorrowful smile was displayed on her face as she looked to his.

"I'm fine…" she drifted, taking a few deep breaths before carefully standing only to wobble for a moment, head spinning from the influence of magic. She briefly stood still to gain her balance once more before making her way over to the discarded sheets that would serve as a disguise of sorts. Link's fur brushed up against the Twili's leg as he walked by her side, ensuring she was stable. He feared she was still dizzy from her exertion.

Midna reached down, picking up the fabric from the ground and shaking it out. She threw the larger sheet over herself and then proceeded to wrap the other around the wolfish body of the Hero, lifting him from the ground.

"Focus on Zelda. She'll be our anchor. I did all the work when we warped through Hyrule, but this will be different. I need your help. We must keep in mind some memorable place or person to draw us to the right location. Since you and she are both blessed by the Goddesses and Zelda put her soul in my care for a time, the Princess is our best bet in getting to Hyrule."

Midna didn't bring up what might happen if they ended up in a realm other than the Light kingdom. After all, this portal was different than the ones they had used previously. She didn't know for sure just exactly all the places it could lead. If they failed here… Midna didn't let herself complete the dark thought.

"Are you ready?" The Princess of Twilight held the Hero's bestial form tightly in her arms, his gaze strong and determined. Neither of them knew what might come to pass after they entered the portal, if they were successful in doing so, that is.

With a deep breath, the Twili stepped through the gateway, the two drawn from the realm they had come to call home and bound to one another, facing the unknown as they went into the Light…

* * *

 **A/N: The last chapter's trivia about the Twili names: They are the word "twilight" in various languages. Senja is Indonesian, Amurg is Romanian, and Solpor is Galician (at least according to the Internet). As for Aralie (the girl mentioned in a couple chapters), her name comes from me randomly bashing the keyboard until I got something that I thought sounded cool. XD  
Anyway, the first part is now complete! This second one will contain adventure! Yay! (Of course I had to include some adventure because what **_**Legend of Zelda**_ **fan doesn't like adventure?) So now they go… Into the Light!**


	9. In Lucem

**Chapter Nine**

 _In Lucem  
_ "Into the Light"

* * *

The two of them tumbled into the world of Light, but this time around the Princess desperately clung to the body of the ailing Hero as they rolled across cold, damp stone. Midna immediately looked up once she came to a stop. The portal was shaking, geometric Twili markings seemed to squirm like snakes, bending and snapping from the instability of the still weakened magic that had just barely managed to form the gateway. A flash of light blinded Midna for a moment and once her vision became stable again, she looked to where the portal had resided.

It was gone, exactly as she feared. They would have to find another way back, or else wait until the magic of her ancestors returned, and she didn't know just how long that would be.

The Princess of Twilight took this moment to assess her surroundings. They were in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle. How fitting. The first place they had met in face-to-face was where they arrived after abandoning the kingdom a year past. That's when she noticed the Hero was no longer in her grip.

"Link!" Midna shouted, untangling herself from the large sheet she hid beneath. Somehow he had managed to slip from her grasp during their fall. The Princess looked around frantically, fearing he hadn't made it but relieved when her eyes settled on Link's tired and panting form. It too was tangled in a cloak just as she had been mere moments ago. Midna rushed to the Hero's side, ignoring the fact that their destination wasn't _exactly_ as she had planned and pulling the fabric away from the face of the Hero in his bestial form. She drew the Shadow Crystal from his body without hesitation, transforming him back into the one wearing the familiar green tunic from their journey. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, looking over his form for any wounds. Luckily none seemed to be present, but the darkened lines along his skin had crawled further on his body. Now they snaked their way over his cheeks and across his face, eyes still closed. The Hero's expression was now somewhat pained and his muscles tense.

The Twilight ruler swore under her breath. She knew using magic as dark as that would have adverse affects, speeding up the process of his blood fighting the magic of the Twilight. This is exactly why she didn't want to resort to using that foul sorcery, but it's not like they had a choice.

Link's eyes popped open, looking to the Twili nervously hovering above him. The irises of the Hero were redder than they had been before. Now streaks shot towards the pupil at sharp jagged angles. A weak smile curved at the edges of his lips as his breathing evened.

"I'm… okay…"

Midna knew that wasn't true. Link had been weakened by the travel and was trying to hide it, just as he initially did with the illness that plagued him. She pulled the fabric he had arrived in tightly around his form, lifting the now cocooned Hero once she had done so.

"Link, we've arrived in the dungeons. Did you do this?" she asked, looking down to the bundle in her arms. She was incredibly relieved they had ended up in Hyrule, but at the same time fearful about the fact they were in such a forebodingly familiar place. "By trying to anchor to Zelda's soul I hoped we would end up where we first met her, or directly in her current location, not the dungeons…" she drifted, eyes wandering over their surroundings. This was the exact same room she had first introduced herself to the Hero.

"I'm sorry Midna, but I couldn't focus…" he drifted, out of breath for the meantime. Traveling through that portal was nothing like the ones dispersed through Hyrule. Instead of simply being in one place at one moment and another the next, this journey was almost like a fight against the will of the Goddesses themselves. The feeling of nothingness was exactly like something he had encountered before, but Link was unable to place when and where he had previously experienced it, and the Hero could have sworn he heard a sinister yet frighteningly familiar laugh just a moment before tumbling out of the darkness.

During the travel, he couldn't seem to feel Midna's presence whatsoever. Link wanted to tell her that he tried his best, but was only able to hold on through the struggle by thinking of her, and the two of them had met in this room for what seemed like ages ago. That must be the reason they arrived in this location. She glanced back at him.

"I'm getting us out of here. Link, I'm going to keep you in this form for now just in case…" she didn't finish, not wanting to admit the other option. If they were captured a beast would immediately be killed. At least he had a chance if he resembled a Hylian, although a slim one at that from his unique physical appearance. He could be branded a demon – or worse.

Link's eyes had closed once more and Midna began to make her way through the maze of suffocating dark halls. She was surprised at how much she remembered of this place from the times he carried her on his back in the form of the legendary wolf. The Princess was glad they were each wrapped in a cloak, for it not only served as a way to hide their otherworldly features, but it also kept them warm in the wet and dank dungeons.

The Princess arrived at the same door they had used that lead to the battlements, stopping in front of it before stepping out into the light of Hyrule once more. She never thought the brightness of the sun in this world would again grace her with beauty that was foreign to the Twili. Midna looked to Link in her arms, the cloak covering his body entirely; face just barely visible through the folds of the fabric from her view above.

"How are you Link? I hope this isn't too uncomfortable for you. It's only a little ways to Zelda, I promise." Though the ruler had no backing to her words and with every step she feared they would be caught and, in the worse case, separated. Never again to see another and dying in these dungeons they had come to know so well.

"I'm… better n-now," he put on a smile. It was the truth. The affects of their travel had begun to wear off. Link was only stuttering because of the cold, his cloak wet, as was hers, from their landing. "I'll be able to… walk soon."

"I'll carry you. I don't mind. Anyway, you had to carry me when you were a wolf. The least I could do is repay the favor, and unlike you, I'm doing this voluntarily," she smiled, trying to lighten the mood. During their time in Hyrule before, she had never really showed that she cared for him like this. It felt a bit odd, but at the same time right, especially considering how fearful she was regarding Link's current state.

The edges of his lips curved up in response to her words and she shifted the Hero in her grasp. "It'll probably be bright out. I'm going to cover your face, okay?" Midna asked, reaching for the edge of the fabric around his head. Link nodded subtly. The Princess followed through with the action she spoke of, pulling the cloth over his eyes and across his face after shifting him once more. She reached for her own mantle, making sure it covered her features and any exposed skin. Midna didn't just fear the gaze of the sun, as going out into the open of Hyrule had more risks than simply sunburn.

Once she had completed the task of hiding herself and the Hero in the depths of the fabric, she reached for the door, slowly turning the knob and gently pushing the gate back. A small creak followed the action, causing the Princess to cringe. She peeked her head into the sunlight, quickly looking around to make sure no one was watching. Now that they were out in the open they ran a higher risk of being captured. At least the dungeons hadn't been guarded. It's not like they needed to be, with no prisoners. Midna would thank Zelda for that later; knowing the Princess was not one to keep the company of criminals deep within the bowels of her castle.

Midna stepped into the open, leaving the door ajar as she walked away from the darkness and into the light of Hyrule. She wondered where Zelda could possibly be in this mammoth feat of architecture. Her first thought was the room she had introduced the Hero and Princess in, but Midna realized that was merely Zelda's own dungeon during the invasion of the Twilight. She had more formal chambers somewhere in the palace. The next best bet would be the throne room, and Midna knew exactly how to get there.

She set off, strides long and quick, eyes darting about for any dangers. She prayed to the Goddesses of Hyrule that they wouldn't be caught.

"Halt!"

The Princess of Twilight froze at the voice that called from behind her. Should she run? If she didn't have Link the Twili would easily be able to outpace any Hylian, as her longer legs enabled her to traverse great distances in a matter of moments. Midna realized running wasn't an option with her burden, and it would only make it harder for her to weasel their way out with an excuse once the two did get captured. Her mind raced for a reason to explain their presence. She slowly turned to face the one who spoke, her body and expression still hidden beneath the mantle.

A group of soldiers approached from the defensive way they held themselves, Midna knew this wasn't going to end well. Before they could interject as to why two cloaked strangers were atop the castle battlements, the Princess spoke.

"We come in peace, bringing a message of the state of affairs in Gerudo Province. It seems we have gotten lost on the way to find medical attention for my companion's leg that was injured in our last stretch of the journey. We must hurry back soon to discuss matters with Zelda, as we do not have much time before we need to return home," Midna explained formally, lying through her teeth in hopes the soldiers would permit them audience with the Princess. She'd gotten good at bending the truth over time, thanks to her having to hide the fact that she was a royal of another world.

The soldiers scrutinized the group for a moment, expressions dour.

"I've heard nothing of messengers from Gerudo. Your presence here only reinforces your suspiciousness. You will come with us, but not to the Princess," the leader spoke in response to her words. The other soldiers stood ready, spears poised if the two made any sudden moves. Midna regretted not taking her chances and running with the Hero in her arms. Unexpectedly, Link shifted in her grasp.

"…Plea… Please…" he breathed, moving beneath the mantle that was draped around his form. He seemed weaker than he had not long ago. The Twili wondered if it was an act to back her story, or he really had been this unwell all along. Nonetheless, Midna looked to him worried as the soldiers tensed at the Hero's words. "Z-Zelda…" Link managed to free his hand from the cloth; careful to only show the back where the symbol of the Goddesses adorned and nothing of his unnatural markings that threatened to infect the pure power. Midna was glad that Link hadn't bothered to wear the gauntlets or heavy chainmail. They would only be a burden on him and the blessing he held would be hidden beneath the leather gloves. As he was now, it was visible once freed from the cloth he had been wrapped in. The lead solider gasped in shock once his eyes lay to the divine crest. After a moment he spoke.

"T-This way," the man stuttered, waving them forward. Midna nodded gratefully, head still hidden beneath the veil. She would have to thank Link later. Without his quick thinking, she didn't want to contemplate what might have happened to them. Midna followed, entering the castle once more and leaving behind the outdoors. The soldiers guided them through winding passages for what seemed like eternity. These were parts of the palace she vaguely remembered from their travels to the throne room in which Ganondorf waited one year ago. At that time she was far too preoccupied about thinking of vanquishing the Demon King and returning to her true form. Eventually the group stopped in a hallway that she recalled was close to where the final battle began.

"Wait here," the lead soldier spoke. "The doors will be guarded from the outside." He gestured to the men that had escorted them. They nodded and followed the orders given, stepping outside of the room. Midna heard the great wood panels shut tight, sealing them in with the leader. "I will at least give you some privacy to think over your actions in my absence. Why your companion bears that crest… If he isn't who he seems, punishment will be sure to follow," the leader spoke, glancing at Link's bundled form in the arms of the Twili. Midna feared it was some sort of trap, they Hylians waiting for the two of them to expose their true intentions, then striking. Midna followed the gaze of the leader, looking at the shrouded Hero in her arms.

It really would have been best to run.

The Princess snapped her head up at the sound of a door closing. The lead soldier had left. Midna wondered if he would really tell the ruler of the Light kingdom that the Chosen was in her castle, but at this moment it didn't matter.

The two were left alone.

"Midna… I can walk," Link spoke after a few seconds of silence.

"Link, you're too weak. I'm still going to carry you."

"No, please… I'm doing better. Honest," he mumbled. She looked to him, face barely visible from beneath the fabric that had shifted the slightest from his movements in her arms. Color had returned to his skin since their arrival and a small smile crept up the edges of his mouth. "I can't look weak in front of her. I don't want to disrespect Zelda." Midna nodded, complying with his wish. She figured it was a guy thing, not wanting to look weak. Then again, she didn't want him to know how fearful she was for his wellbeing. The Twili realized that he didn't want Zelda to fear for him, knowing the Hero had already put so much on the line to save the Hylian and her kingdom. To save that of Midna's as well.

The Twilight Princess gently set Link's feet on the ground, stabilizing him as he wobbled from his new position. He looked up to her, his altered eyes meeting the gaze of the tense royal.

All they could do was wait for their fate.

* * *

 **A/N: I wanted to write something suspenseful-ish. Sorry if it really isn't that interesting. The next chapter will have much more content and from here on out, more characters will be coming into the story!**


	10. Inter Spem et Metum

**Chapter Ten**

 _Inter Spem et Metum  
_ "Between Hope and Fear"

* * *

The Princess of Hyrule sat on her throne, waiting for the arrival of all the members of her court. She oversaw as a table and chairs were being brought to the center of the grand room. Zelda was early to the assembly by a good quarter hour, but she didn't wish to keep any of them waiting in the off chance she would have gotten distracted by other immediate matters on her way to the meeting. She organized her thoughts in her head, making sure the marauding group of thieves she had heard of from the Eldin Province representative was at the top of her list of priorities to be addressed.

A soldier entered the throne room and the Princess perked up at his presence. It was still far too early for the announcements of court officials.

"Your Highness, a young man with the mark of the Goddesses insists on seeing you. Another mysterious figure is with him and they dare refer to you by name with no formalities."

Zelda inhaled sharply, glancing at the symbol of the Triforce on the back of her own hand as she felt her pulse quicken the slightest from the unexpected news. A year had passed and no one in Hyrule had been born that possessed the divine crest. She was the only one in the kingdom that still had that mark. One other living soul held the blessing, but… Could it really be…? It had to, yet…

"Bring them to me."

"Right away, Your Highness," the soldier said, backing out of her gaze. Zelda's mind raced. She hadn't thought much of the other world since a few months after the seemingly permanent separation of the realms. Midna had shattered the Mirror of Twilight and Link and accompanied her to the other dimension. There was no way they could return, unless… her mind wandered, not letting one idea complete before the next crept its way to her attention. Zelda snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of footsteps echoing in the great hall.

A hooded figure entered the chamber; making the Princess recall the moment she had met the Hero in his bestial form, her own body hidden beneath a shroud similar to the veil that plagued her kingdom. The figure stopped, wobbling slightly. Behind it a taller, also cloaked figure followed, bracing the one in front.

"Leave us," the Princess commanded with a wave of her hand to the men who stood nearby as she rose from her throne, and to those who had just finished preparing for the council.

"Your Highness, they still may pose a threat," the captain of the guard spoke. Zelda turned, reluctantly drawing her gaze from the cloaked forms.

"Do you question the wisdom and authority I hold?" she said seriously but not unkindly. Without a word the soldier bowed, beckoning to the men with him to leave. After they had, Zelda faced the ones before her again, stepping towards them. The pace of the ruler increased as she made her way down the stairs and along the blue carpet that paved the way over the intricately tiled floor. She stopped in front of the two figures, nodding for them to remove their hoods.

Midna pulled hers back first, eyes meeting that of the Princess of Hyrule.

"Link, Midna," the Hylian greeted as the Twilight Princess reached for the hood of the one with her. "I have my suspicions, but would you care to explain how you have managed to return to my kingdom?" The wise ruler asked, searching for an answer to put a rest to her troubled thoughts.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for that discussion at the moment," Midna said sorrowfully, pulling the veil away from Link's face. Zelda was in shock at the appearance of the Hero. He was almost unrecognizable. A weak smile crossed his face, contorting the black veins on his skin.

"It's been too long, Zelda," he spoke, the effort in his words obvious. The Princess of Hyrule looked to the Hero wide-eyed as she held her breath.

"Tell me, what has happened to Link," she commanded a moment later, glancing at Midna then back to the one she thought she knew, altered eyes almost glowing as they looked into her own pure blue gaze.

"Link can't survive in the Twiilght Realm as he is. He's not just the Hylian Hero you know… he's of Sheikah blood," Midna briefly explained as Link stayed silent during the short exchange.

Zelda inhaled sharply at the name of the ancient tribe. "I know of the legends, but then…"

"The Interlopers, yes. They were able to survive in the Twilight thanks to their magic. Link on the other hand…" The Princess of Twilight drifted, looking to the one she spoke of. The gaze of the Hylian ruler followed hers. "His mixed blood is fighting that of the Twilight Realm magic. In a sense he's being torn apart from the inside."

"I see…" Zelda drifted, letting everything come together. Once her thoughts had coalesced, her mind was brought back to more immediate matters. The Light ruler had almost forgotten that her court would be held shortly. "I apologize, but now we must part for a time. I will join the two of you later, for we have many preparations to make before setting out." Zelda still had much to discuss with them. The Hylian felt bad leaving the two in the dark at this time, but she had little choice. Time was running short, yet her mind sprinted.

"But Zelda—" Link began. The Princess of Light cut him off, knowing what he was about to speak.

"I _will_ accompany you, for you have yet another journey ahead, Hero of Twilight."

He bit his lip and she continued less strictly than before. "Link, you and Midna have sacrificed much for the safety of our realms. The least I could do is ensure your success in what is to come. I cannot rest soundly until I know that your suffering has been put to an end."

Link nodded, confused as to what exactly she meant, but staying silent.

"I will discuss the matter of my absence with the court. I fear that such short notice as this may not go over well with them, in addition to the fact that there are currently diplomats residing here, my departure may not be met kindly, but we have little choice. They will understand that I would not do this unless it was of great importance."

Midna looked at the Princess concerned. As if reading her thoughts, Zelda continued.

"Worry not Midna. I will expose nothing of you or Link."

"So you'd lie to your trusted advisors?" The Twili spoke with a half smile, only to remember she had essentially done the same in a way, not explaining the full truth to her own council.

"Midna, this is no time for levity," the Hylian replied. The Twilight Princess took on a more serious demeanor once more, understanding her attempt to lighten the mood was of poor taste.

"By the time the council finishes it will be too late to set out," the Hylian spoke, knowingly neglecting to mention where they must head. She would address that later when they had time to discuss it in more depth. "I will make the necessary preparations for my leave tonight and by morn we shall venture forth. I will relay more information to you after the events of the council. The members should be arriving at any moment." She glanced about then quickly turned back to the others. "Please, cloak yourselves once more," the Princess instructed. The two nodded, complying with her directions. Zelda summoned the captain from earlier once the two were shrouded again.

"Give them a guest chamber in the west wing. Treat them as you would I," she instructed, referring to Link and Midna. "They are of the utmost importance, and dear to me. No harm shall befall them."

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard replied with a bow. "Follow me."

Link and Midna met the eyes of the Hylian Princess for a final time. She nodded, knowing that this was only the beginning for them. Zelda watched as they went, waiting until she heard the sturdy wooden doors close before letting out a breath that this time she wasn't aware of holding.

The Princess of Hyrule was left alone in the throne room once more, but it was not long before the members of court joined her.

* * *

"I apologize for the treatment that you received earlier. We didn't know that you were close to the Princess. Medical aid will be brought to your room immediately for your companion," their guide explained as he led Midna and Link through the castle.

"That won't be necessary. It isn't as sever as we had initially thought. I will see to his wound myself and make sure he feels well once more," the Twilight Princess said, once more lying through her teeth as she carried Link in her arms again. The pace of the soldier was faster than the Hero could keep up with in his current state. They walked down the halls for a ways, entering a portion of the palace that the two hadn't explored previously. They eventually came to the rooms Zelda spoke of.

"These will be your chambers for the night," the guard explained.

"Thank you," Link said before the Twili had a chance to speak. She set the Hero's feet on the floor once more and said something herself.

"Do not interrupt us under any circumstances. And in the off change you do indeed hear anything, you must ignore and forget it," Midna ordered, her arm wrapped around Link's waist to brace the Hero, his figure leaning against hers for support. She wanted a moment to relax, letting Link reside in his wolf form as to not pain him. The Princess also feared what would happen if anyone overheard their conversations or – Goddesses forbid – saw what they looked like hidden beneath their robes.

"Ah, I understand," the soldier said with a smile. Midna realized her words just might have had a different meaning than intended to the ears of the one who listened. She felt her face redden beneath her veil and she pulled her arm from around Link, instead setting her hand on his shoulder. The Princess hoped the Hero didn't notice the unintended double meaning of what she spoke. "As for a meal, do you request anything at this moment?"

"Not at this time. I will ask when I deem it necessary."

Link tiredly listened to the exchange, lost in part thanks to his exhaustion, but also amazed at how well Midna had handled everything so far. Her royal presence was lax around him, but when necessary she could take on an entirely new manner.

"Of course. Guards will be stationed at the end of the hall. If you require anything, discuss the matter with them."

"Yes, thank you."

The escort did a short bow, leaving the two in front of the door to their room. After he had disappeared around the corner of the hallway, Midna placed her hand on the doorknob, opening it and beckoning for Link to enter. As soon as the Twili closed the door behind herself, she tore her still damp cloak off, tossing it on the bed. Midna wasn't used to wearing a shroud after roughly a year of not doing so.

The Hero made his way to where the cloak had been thrown, flopping face first onto the mattress next to it and letting out a muffled groan.

"Are you okay Link?" the Twili asked with concern. He turned his head to the side so he could breath and Midna would better be able to understand his words.

"Yeah."

"Do you want to talk?"

"No."

"Would you like me to transform you into a wolf?"

"Uh-huh."

Midna summoned the Shadow Crystal, gently touching the object to him and watching as the magic consumed the tired Hero, changing the form of the one before her to that of his familiar bestial appearance. Link shook the cloak loose and Midna took it along with her own from the bed, tossing them over a chair that stood before a desk. She hoped they would dry by the time morning rolled around.

The Hero lay curled up on the bed, flicking his right ear, blue earring glinting in the light that drifted through the window. The Princess of Twilight quickly rushed to the opening, drawing the curtains across to keep out any prying eyes. Maybe she was being paranoid, but the world of Light had always given her an uneasy feeling, especially now since not a single particle of familiar twilight was present in the realm. She knew it was Link's homeland though, and understood that nothing here could hurt them now that all threats were gone. All except the most personal ones that is.

After she was sure that no one could see through the drapes, Midna let out a sigh and lay down near to the already sleeping beast, resting her hand on his head and slowly stroking it along his back. Either he woke up from the action, or he was dreaming happily because his tail twitched.

The Princess knew they needed rest after what they had gone through, yet her mind was frantic over the closing of the portal, Zelda's cryptic words, and Link's worsening condition.

She feared that maybe staying in the Twilight Realm and finding another solution would have been a better option; even with the great risk it ran and the impossibility of a cure to be found in her world.

* * *

A knocking on the door awoke Midna. She turned to Link. He was already alert, the heightened hearing of his alternate form enabled him to sense the presence of one outside their chambers long before she did.

The Twili gritted her teeth. After her explicit directions they would dare… The nerve of—

"Midna, Link. It is I." The familiar voice of Zelda spoke. The Twilight Princess slid off the bed and stood.

"Yes, come in," she replied, glancing at Link who had risen and now pushed his paws out in front of himself, raising his rear into the air as he stretched, jaws wide while he yawned. As soon as the door clicked open, the Hero tried to position himself in a formal matter. An ordeal a little more difficult than he anticipated in the shape he currently possessed.

Zelda stepped in, royal robes swaying as she came to a stop a few feet before them, looking at the two. She wore an expression of satisfied exhaustion on her regal face.

"Now, I believe it is time we discuss something."

* * *

 **A/N: There is much to be done in the world of Light, as their journey is only just beginning! I'm so glad I got to bring Zelda back into my story. I feel as if she didn't get enough screen time in TP. She still did quite a lot behind the scenes though!**


	11. Concilio et Labore

**Chapter Eleven**

 _Concilio et Labore  
_ "By Wisdom and Effort"

* * *

"Before I begin, would you kindly explain how the two of you managed to arrive in Hyrule with the Mirror gone?" the Hylian ruler asked, initial surprise from their arrival now having waned as she looked between the wolf and Twili. The others exchanged a glance. Link flicked his ear, letting Midna know that it would be best if he were to explain since he had been the one to come to the conclusion regarding their travel.

The Twilight Princess turned to the Hero in the form of a beast, setting her hand on his forehead and drawing the Shadow Crystal from it as she spoke. "You're probably wondering why Link's a wolf considering this form of his is no longer necessary without the Twilight over your kingdom," she addressed the other Princess. "To sum it up, it's a mediate between Link's Hylian and Sheikah blood, easing his pain and progression as his body fights with that of the prolonged exposure to the magic of the Twilight Realm. I'm not sure if he's still getting worse even away from the Twilight, so this is a safeguard. In addition to that, Link says this form of his is more comforting as of now. Anyway, you know from the legends of your Royal Family that the Sheikah who became the Interlopers were banished to the other realm. What you may not have known is that in time, they turned into my people. I assume you could have inferred this though."

It was true, Zelda had. Her wisdom enabled her to come to the conclusion when the ailing Princess of Twilight first mentioned the Mirror connecting their realms. The reason she at first didn't know Midna was a descendant of the banished Sheikah was because of her cursed appearance. The Hylian ruler heard from legends of her people that the Sheikah tribe had very similar characteristics to that of the Hylians; the most prominent difference being that of their red eyes. Upon seeing the true form of the Twilight Princess, Zelda's suspicions about her history and its role in Hyrule's past were concretely confirmed. By then though, when she and Link had left, it had been too late. But now…

The Shadow Crystal came free from the form of the Hero. Link pushed himself up on the bed, swinging his legs over, yet he didn't stand. He was still much too weak from the rapid progression of his condition and even talking was a minor trial. Only after he collapsed earlier did he realize how much of a toll crossing kingdoms had proven to be on him.

"With all four shards of the Fused Shadows, they had the power to create a temporary portal… the rest is pretty confusing, but I hope you get the idea…" he drifted, not having the energy to explain in more depth. After the travel, residing in his true form drained him of stamina more so than the Hero had expected.

The Hylian ruler was surprised that she herself hadn't come to the conclusion sooner. The Princess vividly remembered Midna sorrowfully gathering her ancestor's magic. Maybe the reason Zelda hadn't worried about the other realm was because of everything that had been on her mind. After all, fixing up the throne room and any other parts of her castle and kingdom which had been wreaked from Ganondorf's battle had proved to be troublesome and exhausting. Though in a matter of months, everything was seemingly back to normal thanks to her tireless efforts, but that wouldn't last forever and she knew it, troubles emerging once more, just when she believed they would finally be put to rest, at least for a time.

"I see. Now I suppose it is my turn," Zelda spoke, drawing her gaze from Link to the Twili. "Again, I apologize for confusing you earlier in the throne room. Your unexpected appearance came as quite a shock, but I quickly deduced the reasoning. Link," the Hylian said, snapping her head back towards the Hero. "You must once more journey to the Sacred Grove."

"What?" he asked, confused by the sudden statement that seemed to come out of nowhere. Midna glanced between the two and Zelda continued.

"You are ailing from your blood in turmoil over your identity as a Sheikah and Hylian, are you not?"

Link nodded in reply.

"Your condition, it is connected with your past. Could you elaborate on that?"

The Hero took a deep breath before beginning. After Zelda's words he felt the slightest bit more awake, wishing to know how she had come to her conclusion.

"I'm Hylian and Sheikah, as you know. My father served your court as the messenger between the two races, fell in love with a woman of the Shadow Folk, and eloped. They had me, she died and my father and I went to Ordon. He passed on when I was seven, I grew up as an Ordonian and then the Twilight came. I only learned of my ancestry in the Twilight Realm after reading a letter my father left me," he summarized, letting out a sigh and closing his eyes.

"As I suspected then," Zelda said, realizing she was still being cryptic with her vague wording. "The letter, it caused you to become uneasy over something left unaccomplished, did it not?" The Princess didn't wait for an answer. Link opened his eyes but refrained from speaking, so Zelda continued. "Your own regrets are part of what drove your illness to set in. Your body isn't simply fighting the effects of the Twilight Realm. It is trying to figure out what your soul wants in this era: to live your life as a Hylian, the Hero you have been thought to be just like the ones who chased the Interlopers across Hyrule, imprisoning them in another world and living in peace in their own realm; or a Sheikah, those that served and regretted the actions of the ones that betrayed their masters, but ultimately faded to shadows or became the gentle people you have come to know and love," Zelda spoke wisely, explaining what even Link hadn't known of his own struggles.

Midna didn't realize that the effects of the Twilight Realm, in addition to the sorrow and fear over not knowing if or when he'd fulfill his parent's unspoken wish, is what in part caused Link's physical pain. She knew he had a feeling of regret from unfinished business in the world of Light, but thought that it was something the Hero may come to accept in time, not having any lasting physical effects on him. At the time she believed that he would let go of the past, as she didn't know of a way back to the Light world to fulfill his final duty, but Link _had_ known, and he seemed to still cling to the possibility he could somehow right the wrong from ages past. Now the Twili was glad they came to Hyrule. Even if they did find a way in her realm to stop the progression and return him to normal, Link would still have an internal conflict that followed him like a living shadow for the rest of his life, stabbing him in the back at any thoughts regarding what he was, slowly eating away at his body and mind.

"Do you understand now?" Zelda continued. Link was staring at her in awe. From her explanation he understood that she truly did deserve the blessing of Wisdom Midna had spoken of. "The reason we must head for the Sacred Grove is the Blade of Evil's Bane. The Master Sword is a mythical weapon. The Hero forged it long ago, pure of heart, with aid and direction of the servant of the Goddess Hylia and her Guide, one said to be of the Sheikah tribe. At least that is one legend. Another tells the Sages of old themselves created the fabled weapon for the Hero to use when darkness falls. Either way, it has more than the power to repel evil. It can cleanse the soul from all ailments."

"But if the Hero of old was pure of heart, and Link is…" Midna didn't finish the thought, looking from Zelda to the Hero of their era. "Either way, how was it that the sword accepted him as its master? I understand it repelling the dark magic and expelling the Shadow Crystal from him, but the weapon letting him wield it…"

"Link's Sheikah blood was repressed, growing up with citizens of Hyrule and believing he was one of their kind is why he could wield the weapon, in addition to his soul being that of the Hero from long past. It saw his purity and drive to do whatever it takes to right a wrong, not his history or connection to events in which he had no part," Zelda explained. The three were silent for a short time.

"To the Sacred Grove it is… I guess. Luckily there's a portal there," Link said quietly, leaning on a pillow propped against the head of the bed. He'd moved to a more comfortable position during Midna and Zelda's discussion. The Hylian's gaze fell with the words she proceeded to speak.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but once the two of you left and the Mirror was shattered, the Twilight Portals disappeared as they had no way to draw power from the Usurper King or the Twilight Realm," the Light Princess spoke somberly.

"Tch! Damn it all. And just when we thought all our troubles would finally be over," Midna said exasperated, throwing up her hands and flopping onto the edge of the bed, sitting next to Link who was now struggling to stay awake through the conversation, exhaustion plaguing him. He snapped to attention at Midna's sudden movements.

"Yes, you can no longer warp, but if you use the Fused Shadows just as you had done during the battle with Ganondorf to send Link and I from Hyrule Castle…"

"No, they don't have enough power after their use in getting us here. I was able to warp us back to the castle when the battle was over by using the remaining fragments of their magic and a bit of my own. Besides, it's too risky anyway. I fear that any more use of Twili magic may speed up the process. For now keeping Link in wolf form is helping slow it down, thanks to Zant's magic being blended with that of the Gerudo's, but warping may nullify that. He's already dealt with enough of the Fused Shadows, right?" Midna asked, turning to the Hero. She still didn't know how they were to address returning to her realm once all this was over, now that their temporary portal was gone. That wasn't important now though. They had to make sure Link was back to normal first.

"Yeah…" he drifted, remembering the monstrosity of Midna's possessed form and the overwhelming dark power that radiated from it. The Hero looked to the skin of his forearms, lines almost seeming to pulsate like veins. He was just seeing things from exhaustion. At least that's what he told himself, as the others didn't seem to take any notice. His gaze went up to the two royals, altered eyes glancing between the solid colors of blue from Zelda's, and the red of Midna's. His own a twisted mix of both.

"So it's by foot? We have to go all the way to Faron Province? Could we take Epona?" Link asked, just now remembering his trustee steed, one of the many things he'd abandoned from his abrupt departure to the other world a year past.

"Not entirely, as the Resistance can provide help. I know that Telma still has a wagon. I am not sure of the whereabouts of the other members, but she should be knowledgeable regarding their current locations."

"Zelda, even though Hyrule is back at peace, I still think it's not the best idea to travel without some sort of protection. Link is in no condition to fight if necessary," Midna interjected. She had fully calmed down after her outburst a short while ago, relieved that they weren't completely out of options but still stressed. She couldn't bear to see Link suffer like this for much longer and was afraid she would reach the end of her rope soon, patience stretched thin as it was.

"I understand," the Hylian replied, recalling the news she had heard from the Eldin representative not long ago. "It is risky to bring soldiers along though," the Princess of Light spoke, searching for an alternate solution in her mind. Midna rolled her eyes, remembering how useless they were, especially so for escort duty. Zelda continued. "A young man by the name of Colin is currently in Castle Town. I do believe you know him? It is by luck or blessing of the Goddesses that his presence is so close. He can provide his services as bodyguard."

"Colin?" Link piped up. He wondered how much the kid had grown since he'd last seen him.

"Yes. He is the new messenger for Ordona Province. It seems my assumption that you are acquaintances is correct."

"Yeah, but he's just a kid…" Link drifted, gaze veering from that of Zelda's to look at his hands that rest in his lap. The Hero thought back on how shy he was, being bullied by the other children, but he should have realized that the experiences from when the Twilight covered Hyrule helped him grow. After all, he'd consoled the other children after their kidnapping, plus the boy risked his life to save Beth.

"We have talked far longer than I had intended," Zelda spoke, turning to the door and resting her hand on the knob. "I will leave you two. Please be well rested by morn, for we head to Telma's after preparation at the castle."

* * *

Link awoke first, shocked at the brightness of the light that streamed through the curtains and that of the strange surroundings it illuminated. He had almost forgotten they were in Hyrule once more. The beast opened his maw; jaw stretching wide as a quite whine escaped his canine body. He looked to Midna who had fallen asleep on top of the covers, too tired from last night's discussion and yesterday's events to properly prepare for bed. Luckily there wasn't much to be done considering the two of them brought the bare minimum necessities, the Princess having left her crown in the other world. Nevertheless, she barely had enough energy to summon the Shadow Crystal and turn him back into a wolf for the night. Link felt terrible for putting her through so much stress, even though he had no control over the events that led to the struggle.

The beast decided to leave her as she was, jumping off the padded surface and almost silently landing on the ground, the chinking of the chain around his ankle the only sound. The Hero-turned-wolf walked to the opening where fresh air streamed in, jumping up on the cushioned surface of the seat beneath the bay window. With his snout he pushed aside the curtain the slightest, peeking out over the land he had known most of his life.

The view overlooked Castle Town at a slight angle. Had it really been only a year? Much had changed in the marketplace below. Then again, he had changed quite a bit himself in the same amount of time. Now the square seemed even livelier than when he had last walked the familiar cobblestone streets. Side stalls filled the plaza, and it looked as if Malo Mart had expanded even further, taking over the previously empty building next to it.

Link's ear twisted around as he caught a sound from behind himself. He turned to see Midna walking over to him. A moment later she peeked out from behind the curtains just as he did.

"Wow, I'm surprised that kid's made it big," she said, referring to the larger Malo Mart. "I figured it was just a phase."

A second or so passed and Link's ear twitched once more. He hopped down from the bay window, walking to the center of the room. Midna followed him, curious as to the reason behind his sudden movements. Before she had a chance to ask, Zelda's familiar voice called from the other side of the door.

"Are you two respectable and prepared?"

"Yes, please enter," Midna spoke.

The brass knob of the door turned and Zelda stepped into the room a moment later, almost unrecognizable by her sudden change in appearance from last night's elegant garb.

"What…" Midna drifted, looking over her new attire. "Are you wearing?"

The Hylian princess looked anything but the part. She had discarded her royal robes and donned an entirely new outfit, one that was for the most part, skintight; her chest had been bound, hiding her femininity. Leather armor that had been dyed a deep blue covered her thighs and was held in place by white bandages. The same blue shoulder plating replaced the golden hued metal that had given off a regal air of authority and instead of her elegant crown; her head was wrapped in a turban, concealing the majority of her hair. Some of her bangs peeked out the front and the remainder of it hung down her back in a tight braid that was wrapped with a strip of fabric that matched the headgear. Zelda's calves and arms were also covered with leather armor, but instead of a deep blue, they were dark grey, almost black. A white wrap hid her mouth, just as the dark purple scarf had done upon her first meeting with the Hero in the guise of a beast. Lastly, the all-familiar eye shedding a single tear adorned her front. The red of it reminding Midna of Link's own irises the night he changed; the tear itself representing the sadness and blood spilled during the war from ages past.

Zelda pulled on one of the bandages that held the armor over her forearm, drawing it tight before tucking it in place. It had come loose in her quick preparations. As soon as she completed the action, she tugged the fabric away from her mouth, looking at the two before her who stared in both awe and confusion.

"It is a disguise, something that has been passed down the line of my Royal Family. Long ago it was said that one of my ancestors wore it and aided the Hero of old throughout his journey. Because I will be venturing forth with you, my standard attire would attract far too much attention and as I am aiding you, I must uphold tradition. It is said the one who was garbed in this manner went by the name of Sheik as a representative of her tribe, although she possessed no blood of the Sheikah and was instead a bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, just as I."

"I see," Midna replied. Even in Hyrule the past of the Shadow Folk still played a significant but hidden role.

Over her other arm Zelda carried the same cloak that she was garbed in during the time the royal had been imprisoned in her own castle. The Hylian took it, shaking out the fabric and throwing it over her shoulders, concealing almost all of the new clothes. The Princess turned false guardian clasped the cloth closed at her neck, making sure it was kept in place before she spoke.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, I brought Sheik in. I just had to! I couldn't let that awesome Hyrule Historia concept art for TP Sheik go to waste. (Even if that design is used in SSB4…) I still do wonder how Twilight Princess would have been different if Sheik was in it. It really is amazing how many changes Zelda games (or any game for that matter) go through before they are released.**


	12. Ignorat Pacem Bello

**Chapter Twelve**

 _Ignorat Pacem Bello  
_ "Peace Knows Not of War"

* * *

Colin sat at the table in the back of the bar as he went over a list. The boy would be heading back to Ordon soon, and he wanted to make sure that he hadn't forgotten to do or get anything while in Castle Town. He was quite surprised at how much he had matured since the day he and the other Ordonian children had been captured and taken from their home. The boy's first great act of courage was when he had saved Beth in Kakariko, but he knew that one deed was far from enough. Colin swore that he would become someone worthy of carrying on Link's legacy in Ordon Village.

The boy sighed. He was worried, not having seen Link for over a year and wondering more and more of late where he could have possibly gone after leaving so suddenly. Colin refused to accept his role model had fallen in battle like he had overheard during his time in the bar. Link was the type to fight to the last breath for those he cared for, but knew when it was the time to run if necessary.

The people of Ordon never addressed the subject of his disappearance directly, but if it was ever brought up they simply brushed it aside, telling themselves he was merely out on some long journey and would be home safe and sound any day, if he indeed wanted to return to such a quaint little place.

Once he had gotten back to his home village, Colin and the other kids told everyone what had come to pass – at least what they had witnessed themselves. All of them knew so much more had happened, but even after a year they still didn't understand everything that had come to pass, and Colin feared they never would. Upon returning, the boy decided to take up residence in Link's house to guard the village and simultaneously keep the abode his friend had inhabited in order. After all, the home his parents resided in was quite small, especially now since he had a little sister.

After arriving in Ordon, he decided to take up the sword. Although Colin never originally intended to be a swordsman, he felt he owed Link something in return for everything the Hero had done for him. Colin trained every day with direction from his father, soon becoming stronger in not only the way of the blade, but herding as well. He quickly filled Link's absence, inheriting Epona and wrangling Fado's livestock. Although he was a bit small for the giant mare, she worked well with him.

Eventually Mayor Bo confronted Colin about becoming the new representative of the village. The boy's father, Rusl, had been wounded pretty badly from a monster attack on Ordon not long after all the children had been kidnapped. With Rusl unable to travel long distances, the duty of messenger that was briefly Link's was passed on to Colin.

The Ordonian turned his attention back to the bar, no longer reminiscing about past events he faced but still not fully focused on the present. It was before noon, yet that didn't stop people from drinking. Colin never understood why someone would want to lose himself in alcohol. Sure, times had been tough this past year, but Princess Zelda had quickly brought the kingdom back into order. Now that everything was normal once more people no longer had the excuse to forget their current troubles, yet it seemed some still desperately clung to that. It really is true that people forget how bad times are when they live in an era of peace. Although young, the boy had gone through plenty for him to mature. His experiences probably made him more of a man than any of the lazy soldiers that frequented the bar when they were off – and sometimes still on – duty.

"You okay hun?" Telma asked, snapping Colin out of his own mind for good as she walked up to him, carrying a glass of milk. He hadn't realized he had caught the attention of the bartender with his thoughtful expression.

"Yes, I'm quiet well. Though I don't recall ordering anything."

"It's on the house," she replied with a wink, setting the glass on the wooden surface next to the large map of Hyrule that seemed to always lay sprawled across the table.

"Thank you, and Telma…" he drifted, eyes almost glazing over as he was once more pulled into the depths of the past and that of his own thoughts. He was brought back to the moment at hand with the woman's voice.

"Hmm?" she raised an eyebrow, setting a palm on the table and leaning against the wooden surface. She had never seen him act this way before and knew from his demeanor that Colin had something important on his mind.

"What… do you think happened to Link?"

The question seemed to hover in the air. He'd never brought the subject up with the bartender, but for some reason the boy was remembering his role model more and more of late.

Telma froze for a moment, thinking over what to say, as she herself sometimes questioned his disappearance as well. The woman opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, the bell over the door chimed, letting her know guests had arrived. Without a word, she turned from the table, hopping over to the counter and beginning to polish a glass, Colin and his question put aside for the moment and the presence of customers giving the bartender an excuse to think on the boy's query as she cleaned the glassware. She hated doing the dishes and only did so when customers arrived. It made her look productive.

"Welcome to Telma's!" she called as three cloaked guests stepped into her establishment, her outer voice more cheerful than her inner one at the moment. One of the newcomers was braced by the tallest while the last seemed to glide effortlessly. Something about them seemed familiar yet foreboding to Telma. "What can I get for you?"

"Greetings Telma," the middle-height one called as the three made their way to the table in the front. Louise jumped off the surface, walking over to the bar owner behind the counter and brushing up against her leg. Colin watched from the back of the bar, glancing over the edge of his list so he didn't appear to be eavesdropping. He let the question he had asked Telma slide from his mind, focusing on the mysterious new arrivals.

"My, my… a familiar voice from a time ago," Telma spoke, at first shocked at the unexpected appearance of the Princess she knew hid beneath the veil. "Last time I'd seen you here wasn't long after that event at the castle. Shame about that. Good men died that day and I lost myself a few customers. Anyway, that is something in the past. What can I get for you today hun?" She glanced from the cloaked figure that spoke towards the two others with her.

"I have an important matter to discuss. I believe it involves the Wolf that hasn't been seen for quite some time."

Telma stopped polishing the glass, gaze once more darting to the disguised royal in response to her statement. That was the code word used for matters involving the Resistance. The Princess of Hyrule visited the bar a year ago to discuss the events that had come to pass in which most of the kingdom had seen in a different light – quite literally. It was at that time Zelda revealed practically everything to the bar owner. The royal woman had almost lost herself in drink. The poor thing had so much to do in order to get her kingdom under control again. She had needed someone to vent to, and Telma was willing to listen.

She and the other members of the Resistance had known Zelda on a personal basis for years. The Princess had even used them as spies of sorts to crack down on sneaky criminals in the past, yet the royal never came to the bar personally unless it involved something of the utmost importance. The Resistance leader set the glass on the counter, tossing the torn rag used to clean it over her shoulder.

"So, it seems…" she drifted, turning to the men who slept at the bar. This early in the day and they had already drunk themselves to sleep. Telma slapped her hand on the counter, making them snap to awareness. One even saluted her before glancing around and realizing he wasn't on duty. The woman nodded her head towards the door and the men grumbled as they unsteadily made their way to the exit. The pub owner sighed at the sight of one patron still present. The town doctor was still snoring.

"You old coot, wake up. I'll give you a pint on the house," she grumbled and the elderly man snorted a moment later.

"Wh-whuzzit? Oh, yes please," he spoke groggily, coming to at the tempting offer of the bartender. He adjusted his glasses to meet the stringent eyes of Telma.

"Out. Or do you want me to hire the strong-arm again? Even after a year you still haven't paid your tab in full." Telma's arms were crossed in front of her chest, face stern.

"Eh? Ah, I-I'll be going then," he nervously muttered, hopping off the bar stool and making his way towards the door. As he passed the odd bunch he mumbled something about the lack of respect towards elders these days.

Once the door latched closed behind the last of the drunks and the sound of the bell drifted to silence, the bartender turned towards her guests yet again. Colin scooted further down in his seat, attempting to hide. It seemed Telma had forgotten about him and his presence had gone unnoticed by the newcomers.

"Wolf, huh?" the woman said with an eyebrow raised.

Zelda nodded, pulling back her hood. The others were still and silent, not following her actions. Telma didn't expect the appearance of the Princess to be as she was, but understood. Something big was happening, just as it had then, even if it was cloaked in shadow to the public eye.

"Yes, he has returned and seems to be injured. I am hoping you will be able to provide some assistance regarding his safe passage, will you not?"

"Cryptic as always, I see." Telma came out from behind the bar, walking over to the group of three as she threw the rag from her shoulder onto the counter. "Where is this injured wolf?"

Without a word Link stepped forward, reaching for the hood and pulling it from his face. Telma's eyes widened at the sight of unnatural lines and eerie irises, and Colin couldn't help but let out a gasp. The three cloaked figures tensed, turning to the sound of the boy's surprise. He hunkered down behind the list he still held.

"Luckily for you, I think I might have the right one for the job," Telma broke the tension in the room a moment later. She knew better to ask about Link's condition, understanding it would be explained at some point or another, if she even need know what was happening.

"Colin?" Link asked, taking a step towards the boy. It took the Hero a moment to recognize the kid. He'd gone through a rapid growth spurt, shooting up a few inches and beginning to develop muscles known to only swordsmen and equestrians.

The Ordonian poked his head out from behind the list, setting the parchment on the table and in the process covering part of the map of Hyrule. He understood there was no use in hiding now.

"Link… what's happened to you?" Colin asked, frightened over his friend's strange appearance and unexpected arrival after a sudden and long absence.

The Hero smiled sadly, opening his mouth to speak; yet he didn't know where to begin.

"I hate to interrupt the moment, but we do have something important we need to discuss," spoke the one who had stayed silent and cloaked since the moment of their appearance.

"Of course," Zelda said. "It is a long story…"

* * *

The two common folk sat in awe, absorbing the information the Princess of Hyrule had presented them with. Colin was in more shock than Telma. He never expected to meet the ruler of the kingdom he resided in, let alone have her reveal the existence of a whole other world. The boy didn't know what to do or say, unable to draw his gaze away from the Twili's strange appearance. In addition to that, he was having trouble accepting his friend was essentially very ill; body in a vague way fighting itself and that of foreign magic Colin had no understanding of.

Telma's expression was serious as she was in deep thought. This was a matter far stranger than she had originally anticipated. Zelda had told her of the Twilight Invasion so she knew fragments of the tale, but not all this. At first the Resistance leader thought it had to do with the gang of bandits that had been occasionally seen throughout Hyrule, but upon seeing Link's appearance, she knew that something much more sinister was happening. The woman was half tempted to object to Zelda's idea of coming along, but knew no matter what she said, she knew the Princess would find a way around her words.

Zelda had left out the history of the Interlopers, much to Midna's relief at this time. The Princess was able to sum up everything without going into detail over the legends that had been kept a close secret along the Royal Family lines of both races. The Fused Shadows and Mirror were explained of course, but the history and Legend of the Sheikah were not. The Hylian Princess didn't want to burden anyone with more troubles and understood that the words she spoke now were already plenty confusing enough.

During the whole story, Link sat at the bar, his arms crossed atop the counter and face buried in them as he rested.

"I understand this comes as quite a shock, but you must keep this a secret to everybody as of now. So, will you assist us?" Zelda finally questioned, her explanation complete for the moment.

"Of course," Telma spoke without hesitation. "After all Link's done for Hyrule…" she drifted, looking to the tired Hero. Her eyes traveled towards that of the foreigner. "…for this Twilight Realm you speak of… now I must do my part."

"Thank you," Zelda spoke genuinely, turning to the Ordonian in the back, "Colin, would you lend your powers?"

He looked back at her, face dumbfounded as he still attempted to digest everything that had been explained. Although he wasn't the naïve boy of the past, much of this still went far over his head.

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," he stuttered. Although her garb was far from formal, Colin couldn't help but address her in that manner. In response Zelda smiled sorrowfully.

"Please, refer to me by name. We are accomplices here. I regret not meeting you in person earlier. I had heard of your deeds from my council when you had come as representative over these past few months."

"No one knew I was a princess for so long. Relax kid," Midna interjected, smiling to brighten the mood. It had been far too somber of late and she missed using her lighthearted words. It felt odd, but at the same time, in a way, right. "Us royal women like to keep in disguise," she continued, referring to her unwanted cursed form from her last time in Hyrule and Zelda's current guise as an ancient guardian.

"Telma, what of the other members of the Resistance?" the Princess asked, bringing their conversation back to the matter at hand. The explanation had taken far longer than they had anticipated and the day was progressing rapidly.

"Ashei is in Snowpeak studying an ancient mansion she had come across when exploring the region. Rusl is in Ordon, as Colin knows, and last I heard, Auru is trying to find a way into Gerudo desert from Lake Hylia since Fyer's cannon is the only way there as of now. Speaking of cannons, he's monopolizing that giant one that appeared out of nowhere. Shad took it to explore someplace in the sky, apparently. I'm quite surprised to be honest. I never expected him to be the type to go on an adventure like that, though he's fascinated by these sky beings he says are called Oocca. Fyer's been trying to drum up sales of tickets to this "City in the Sky" much to Shad's disappointment. He wants to study and preserve the culture…" Telma realized she had begun to go off topic and cleared her throat. "Anyway, will the two of us be enough?"

"Of course," Zelda replied. "The less the better I believe. We would not wish to attract too much attention."

"Zelda…" Colin said nervously. He wasn't used to addressing one of such high status by name. "I'm wondering about something… You said that when this twilight was covering Hyrule, Link didn't turn into a spirit like the rest of us but instead had another form. It was some sort of blue-eyed beast from the legends of the Twili people?" Colin spoke. "What exactly is that like?"

The Hylian royal opened her mouth to speak, but before she was able, the Twili said the Hero's name.

"Link," Midna spoke, turning to the one who hadn't moved since he laid his head on the counter. He looked up to the royal as his name was called. Midna regretted not transforming him earlier, hoping that he didn't have to suffer much in the meantime.

Link saw her concern on the face of the Twilight Princess and spoke before she had a chance to further question his health and wellbeing.

"Being in Hyrule has helped me. I don't feel pained, and like you said Midna, it's slowed down the process since I'm not influenced by the twilight here. I'm just so… tired all the time, but other than that, I'm fine. If you'd think it's best for me to transform, then do it."

Midna walked up to the Hero who stood from the barstool, still holding the counter for balance. Zelda watched inquisitively. She'd never seen him transform, having only been conscious in the Hero's presence while he possessed one body or the other. Neither she nor the other two Hylians had any idea of what was about to happen. Link pulled his cloak off, laying it over the stool he previously sat on.

The Twilight Princess summoned the Shadow Crystal and Link reached out, hand hovering in front of it but stopping before touching the magic. He turned to Colin and Telma, looking back and forth between the two as he bit his lip, canine slipping over the edge in the process of the action. He took a deep breath a moment later.

"Please… don't be shocked. It doesn't hurt me when I transform and my other shape…" Link drifted, turning back to Midna. She nodded to him. He swallowed and touched the magic.

The three light dwellers gasped as the twilight took hold of the Hero, transforming him into the beast Zelda met not long after she surrendered her kingdom to the darkness. Link shook his head, turning to the stunned expressions of the bartender and that of her young customer.

"It was you hun?" Telma asked concerned, breaking the silence after a moment. She remembered the rainy day a wolf tried to enter her bar. She knocked him outside with a broom.

He nodded. The Hero knew what she meant.

"I'm so sorry. If I'd known…" she drifted, much more serious than she was even a few moments ago.

"Louise assisted us, explaining about the secret passage to the castle that went through the sewers," Midna informed them. "Link understood since he was a beast," the Twili said, looking down to the Hero.

"Link," Colin spoke. The bestial one the boy had known in another form turned his gaze towards the Ordonian. "My father told me that a wolf attacked the village not long after the other kids and I were kidnapped. So… it was you?" he said almost unbelieving. Midna did some more explaining.

"We needed weapons for when he returned to his true form. The sword and shield Link was planning to take to Hyrule Castle as the representative of Ordon were the closest. In the process he took out some of the monsters that were on their way to the village… If necessary, we can discuss this more on the journey. We have to set out now," she finished, reaching down to Link and drawing the Shadow Crystal from him. Walking the streets of Castle Town as a beast wasn't the best idea. She knew from experience. Zelda spoke as Midna changed the Hero back to his true form.

"The Sacred Grove where the Blade of Evil's Bane rests is deep within Faron Woods."

"How long will it take to get there?" Telma asked, looking at Link who carefully pushed himself up from the ground, now back in his familiar body.

"Since instant teleportation is out of the question and we have a cart, I'm thinking maybe one night if we set out within the hour," Midna spoke, knowing the location of the hidden holy place best only to that of Link who had begun to don his cloak once again. "We can probably set up camp just outside the southernmost part of Hyrule Field in Faron Province."

"The carriage shouldn't take that long to prepare. Is Epona fed and rested?" the Resistance leader asked the boy after nodding to the Twili.

"Yes. I was planning to head back to Ordon today anyway so I made sure to give her yesterday off."

"Excellent," Zelda said, turning to Link and Midna with a nod.

The Twilight Princess looked over the motley group before her, she not an exception to the unique crowd. The Twili met the eyes of each, expression serious. They had another journey ahead of them. Midna took a deep breath and spoke words she thought that she would never again need to say – never again after she herself had been healed from an ailment not all that dissimilar from Link's in a vague sense.

"Now we go back. Back to Faron woods."

* * *

 **A/N: I love using actual dialog from the game in my story. It's also quite fun to give lines that belong to one character to a completely different character. Playing around with dialog can be pretty entertaining!**


	13. Homo Homini Lupus

**Chapter Thirteen**

 _Homo Homini Lupus  
_ "Man is a Wolf to Man"

* * *

They were easily the oddest bunch in all of Hyrule, the Twilight realm, and any of the lands beyond. A young Ordonian swordsman led the way on the Hero's horse. The savior of both the realms of Light and Twilight was in the carriage that followed, chin resting on the lap of the Twilight Princess, she scratching his head as he resided in the body of a beast. The leader of Hyrule garbed in the dress of the royal guardians sat opposite of her, looking out the front of the carriage past the owner of Castle Town's only bar that so kindly offered to take them to their destination as she gripped the reins.

"So, south?" Telma asked, knowing their goal but still confirming with the others. The group would travel mostly the same path that they did when escorting Ilia and the sick Zora Prince Ralis to Kakariko Village. After going over the great stone structure spanning Lake Hylia and reaching Hyrule Field in Faron, the group would take the path that eventually led to Ordonia Province, instead of heading to the Eldin region as they had done before.

"Yes. We may take a break at the bridge if anyone wishes," Zelda replied, peeking her head out from behind the covering of the carriage. The Resistance leader looked over her shoulder as the royal in disguise spoke. After a moment the bar tender nodded and then turned her gaze forward once more.

"Colin?" Telma spoke, looking to the boy. In response the Ordonian kicked the sides of Epona, setting her off into a canter. The woman snapped the reins of her own mare with his action, causing the carriage to lurch as it began to roll, setting the group on their journey.

For quite a while they travelled in silence, not discussing anything that had been disclosed at the bar, as they were far too absorbed in their own thoughts regarding everything said previously. The group stopped only once they reached the north end of the Great Bridge of Hylia, where they had a quick snack and admired the view high above Hyrule's greatest lake. Link and Midna noticed that the cannon they had teleported there remained in the same spot since Fyer fixed it. What Telma had said back at the bar seemed to be true: the Sky Cannon had attracted a small crowd, and it appeared from a sign displayed on the side of Fyer's own cannon that he was trying to get people to buy tickets for a ride. Luckily it seemed no one had ridden it yet, other than Shad of course, at least according to Telma. Apparently the scholar had found a way to fire it without the use of a Clawshot. That didn't come as much of a surprise though.

The day was progressing much faster than they had anticipated, thanks to the fact that Midna, Link, and Zelda spent more time than they had hoped in preparing and informing Colin and Telma of everything. Now it was beginning to get dark, the hour of twilight just barely starting to settle in. They set forth once more, knowing they could make it to the southern most part of Hyrule Field in Faron before too long if they kept at this current pace. Midna lit a lantern from where she sat in the cart. Not a single star began to peek out from beneath the blanket of sky, but the covering over the wagon still made the interior dark.

Shadows danced about in the quiet, illuminating the cloaked Hylian Princess. Midna looked at the ruler, flashes of light and dark reminding her of the Twili's first meeting with the royal when the Twilight Princess resided in the body of an imp. At that time thunder boomed and lightening cracked beyond the glass pane through which the shrouded woman looked.

Now there was stillness in the air that none seemed to wish to break.

Midna looked out over their path. Hyrule seemed so… quiet and peaceful. She never knew the land like this, having only been in it under the rule of false leaders. There wasn't a monster in sight, even now that a cloak of darkness was beginning to fall. No wonder the people she had seen so far seemed to be so at peace and carefree.

Eventually they began to make their way through the narrow curved path connecting the Lanayru and Faron regions. The Hero and Twili remembered when they had to avoid Bokoblin fire from the rocks where the monsters perched, raining flaming arrows down on them. There was only silence now.

A short while of contemplation regarding the stillness passed, then the Hero's pointed ear twitched and he lifted his head suddenly. The wolf looked around and Link's blue bestial eyes met that of Midna's red irises a moment or so later.

"Something isn't right…" the Twili drifted, not sensing anything herself but knowing Link felt a presence. She looked around, hoping to catch sight of what drew his attention. His ears perked up once more, and the beast stood, stepping over the supplies and coming to stand next to Telma. She turned to him.

"What's wrong hun?" the Resistance leader asked. It felt odd talking to a creature as a fellow person, especially one she had attacked with a mop, but she knew the one she spoke to was still Link all the same.

In response he let out a low growl, lips pulling back the slightest to show his teeth, which caught the light from the kerosene lamp Midna held. Colin glanced over his shoulder upon hearing the noises in the cart behind him. He brought Epona next to the horse that pulled the group.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, glancing at each of the others with a concerned expression. The boy also felt something. His eyes settled on Link, then drifted to the pub owner. The two common folk Hylians nodded at one another, pulling the reins and signaling for their steeds to come to a halt.

"No, don't stop," Zelda spoke, eyes widening as she realized just exactly what was happening. The one of Wisdom should have noticed sooner. "It is what they want us to do."

With those words the noise of hooves echoed around them in the gorge they traversed.

"Damn it all, the bandits!" Telma shouted, cracking the reins. She had completely forgotten about them once Zelda and the others showed up at her bar, explaining everything.

Colin's eyes widened. He had overheard the bartender mention the small disorderly group of misfits that had been traveling throughout Hyrule over the past few months. They were really the only threat now that the kingdom was back at peace.

The group sped off, carriage picking up its pace once more and Colin drawing his sword as he expertly guided Epona with one hand on her reins. Link was thrown to the back of the cart towards the royals thanks to the sudden burst of speed from the previous standstill the carriage was at.

"I know of this group. Now that Hyrule is has returned to normal, foreigners have been traveling from afar, some drawn by my country's unique attractions," Zelda explained, referring to the Sky Cannon in Lake Hylia. They went over a rock in the path, causing the wagon to toss them about. Midna held the lantern carefully as to not let the hot oil it held spill, risking a fire on their ride. "There has been the occasional robbery, these men the cause."

"Just what we need, another problem," Midna scoffed, the sounds of shouting men drawing closer. She could see two horsemen gaining on the group from behind. Colin yelled from in front, drawing the gazes of the others towards him.

He had just passed the gate that led into Hyrule Field, only to be confronted by another sword-wielding man sitting in wait on horseback. The boy deflected a blow with his own blade; small sparks flying from the contact of metal on metal and glowing brightly in the evening half-light. The man pulled away from Colin and the boy glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the one he had crossed swords with fall back in line next to the carriage.

"Hold on!" Telma shouted, sharply pulling the reins to the right, narrowly avoiding the sword from the outlaw who originally targeted the Ordonian. The tip of the blade made contact with the canvas covering of the carriage, causing a tear that dragged along the side of the tent as it veered to the side. Midna and Zelda quickly ducked, bracing themselves as a wheel left the ground and simultaneously evading the path of the steel that caught the light of the lamp the Twili still tightly gripped.

Link hunkered down next to the two Princesses, ears pressed flat against his head. It was times like these he desperately wished he could do something to help, but knew no matter what he tried, he would be more of a nuisance than anything. So much for being the Hero.

"A bow! Colin, have you a long-ranged weapon?" Zelda called to the one on horseback. She couldn't summon the Light Arrows, as they were gifts from the four Light Spirits to only be used against the Demon King. The one garbed in Sheikah attire would have to make do with whatever they had, praying to the Goddesses that there was a something she could wield.

Colin glanced back just long enough to call over his shoulder. "Yes! The bag made from Lizalfos hide should have one – ah!" he pulled sharply on the reins, bringing Epona around to stay in line with the cart. She had begun to drift from the group after Telma's sudden change in course. "I made sure to buy a bundle of arrows as well. The quiver should be with the bow."

Before he finished speaking, Zelda started to dig through their supplies for the items the boy spoke of while Midna held the lantern nearby to provide light. The Hylian untangled the weapon from the wrap it was in, fiddling with the string and trying to find the end. After a moment she had it. The Princess was glad she was a practiced archer. She braced the recurve with ease even though their ride was far from smooth.

"Lantern," she spoke in the process of preparing the weapon. Midna understood, sliding the glass aside and exposing the flame that reflected in their eyes, setting fire to the blue gaze of the Hylian royal and that of the beast's irises as he watched in silence. Zelda nocked an arrow a moment later, dipping the tip in the hot oil. This was a risky maneuver. If something caught fire on the carriage, they were all doomed.

Telma glanced back, suppressing a shudder. She vividly remembered the flames engulfing the canvas, trapping Ilia and Ralis in a burning inferno. Without the Gale Boomerang, she didn't know how they would quench the heat. The Resistance leader focused all of her attention forward once more as to keep their ride stable, avoiding rocks and potholes in the path in order to assist Zelda's aim.

After a moment the arrowhead glowed with fire and the one in disguise lifted the bow, pulling back the string and anchoring her draw to her jawbone as she aimed towards the bandits. At first the horsemen seemed erratic, randomly weaving in and out, not coming close enough for Colin to land his blade on them or for any of the misfits to latch on to their ride. Quickly Zelda noticed a pattern in their movements and silently let the arrow fly.

The bright tip arched through the evening light, whizzing by the heads of Telma and Colin only to narrowly miss the enemy who abruptly changed course just a moment before the nock had left the string. The boy that tried his best to keep the enemies at bay jerked when the shaft flew past him. The Princess feared for Colin. Of course she wouldn't hit the Ordonian, her aim being true, but he had never been in any event like this. He didn't know what the terror of a true battle was like.

Epona let out a whinny, but otherwise remained composed. She had always been good when it came to handling chaos, and Colin was glad about that. His adrenaline was pumping as is. If he had any other steed, he wouldn't have a chance of controlling the beast.

"I'll watch from this side!" the Twili called in the pandemonium. She desperately wanted to fight back with Zelda and Colin, summoning the Fused Shadows and taking out these bandits with one swift blow of the ancient staff her spider-like form wielded. Of course she couldn't, the powers drained from the travels between dimensions. In addition to that the Princess couldn't use any of her own magic as it too was indirectly needed to fuel the recovery of the sorcery, fearing if she attempted to use her own, she may inadvertently draw on that of the darker magic in her blinded anger towards the enemy. The royal had to make sure every last ounce of power was conserved in and for the relics as they slowly replenished their ancient sorcery.

Never in her life had Midna feel so useless.

Zelda prepared another flaming arrow, this time hitting her mark. The man screamed as it nailed his side, setting the black cloak he wore aflame. He fell off his horse, tumbling in the dirt as he desperately tried to extinguish the blaze he had quickly become engulfed in. The Princess had rid them of one enemy, but their struggle was far from over. Two bandits remained.

One of the outlaws slid a pole from the saddle of his steed, lifting it up and drawing his arm back. Midna watched, unable to do anything and unsure of the actions from the enemy. A moment later the stick flew, but instead of hitting one of them as the Twili had initially thought it would, the rod lodged itself in the spokes of the wooden wheel. Abruptly the carriage lurched, throwing its passengers in their seats. Luckily Midna still held the lantern, preventing it from setting fire to anything.

The one who had launched the beam let out a whoop of satisfaction, the other joining in with his shouts of victory.

With what little momentum the carriage still had, Telma brought its side up against a large outcropping of rock in the field. With the wall of stone on one side, Colin would have an easier time defending everyone, especially with their immobility, yet it simultaneously provided assistance to the enemy, preventing the group from making a clean run for it if they had the chance.

The bandits brought their horses to a trot, approaching cautiously. Colin steered Epona rapidly from the front side where Telma sat, still tightly gripping the reins, then swung the horse around, quickly running to the other end of the wagon. Two approaching from opposite directions was hardly fair, and the boy was struggling to keep them away.

Midna warily leaned over the edge of the carriage, slowly sliding free the object that prevented the wheel from turning so they could continue their progress. Even if they couldn't outrun the enemy, they would have a better chance of survival when they were moving.

Zelda drew another arrow, poised to release for when the disguised Princess knew she could land a hit. This was her last shot. Some of the arrows had fallen from the quiver and into the field behind during the mayhem. Colin had only bought a dozen, understandable considering he was originally planning on venturing home alone. One could only carry so much.

As the men were focusing on their prey, Link silently slipped from the cart, hopping onto the ground and skirting the rock, making his way to the other side as he stuck to the shadows, his dark coat providing camouflage in the quickly dimming light. The enemy hadn't noticed his escape and neither did any of his companions. The wolf scaled the stone, coming to the top so he could look down at the carriage and horsemen below. Link growled and the gazes of the bandits as well as those of his friends were drawn to his form.

The hour of twilight was waning and night was beginning to take hold. Stars dotted the sky and the tiniest sliver of moon hung like a backdrop against the Hero's feral form, hackles raised. The half-light made the beast sinister; its body a silhouette and fierce eyes almost glowing.

"Go!" Link barked, though he knew no one could understand him. "You don't know who you're dealing with. If you hurt anyone… If you even _touch them…_ Know that I won't hesitate to rip your throats out."

Link had never killed, or even injured, anything other than monsters and game for food. This was a different matter entirely though.

The bandits stared wide-eyed, looking up to the menacing wolf that bore its sight into them. Link growled once more. These were the scum of Hyrule. To think he had really saved ones such as them… they weren't worthy of even living in the light. These were the type of people who should have been banished and imprisoned in another world.

Link leaned his head back, letting out a guttural howl. A second or so later, a chorus of wolves echoed his call, howling from somewhere far off in the distance. The Hero turned beast hadn't expected that, but silently thanked his canine brethren for their contributions.

It was at this moment the two royals made eye contact, a subtle nod passing between them. At the same time, Midna tossed the pole like a javelin; the object strafing the arm of the man on the left while the Hylian Princess in the guise of a guardian let her final arrow loose, tip not burning. It flew almost invisibly in the night, striking the other bandit in the shoulder. He let out a cry, and then sharply and involuntarily pulled on the reins. The other man started from his companion's shout of pain, and the two turned on their tails, running off into the dusk.

The group let out a collective sigh, relaxing once the sound of hooves faded into the darkness. They looked to one another, making sure everyone had come out unscathed. Eventually Midna broke the tense stillness and spoke wearily.

"We'll…" she drifted, looking over the stressed group and damaged carriage as she took a heavy breath. "…rest here for the night."

* * *

When they awoke in the morning, they decided on a plan for the day. The group would pack up and continue on their way. Once they reached Coro's Hut, Telma would take the wagon to Ordon to stock up on supplies and make any necessary repairs while Midna, Zelda, Link, and Colin would head into the woods nearby.

Link resided in his true form for this stretch of the journey. Since they were so close to Ordon, they didn't want to risk anyone catching sight of the familiar beast that had seemingly attacked the village not long after the disappearance of the children. The Twili carried the Hero in her arms, both of them still cloaked, as was Zelda despite her disguise.

They parted ways at the crossroads, Telma telling them that it would be best to meet back up here when this was all over. Coro offered to sell the remaining members of the group some lantern oil for the trek through the caves, but Colin politely turned down his deal, showing that his lantern was still mostly full, even after the previous night's events that none wished to speak of now.

After bidding farewell to the Resistance leader, the four made their way in silence through the woods, young Ordonian leading the group as he held the lantern in one hand, sword drawn in the other. Zelda took note of their surroundings, keeping a watchful eye out. She hadn't been here in what seemed like so long. There were no dangers present when she had come, thanks to Link having recently rid the land of any perils. Only now was she realizing the others were probably unaware of her travels here a little under a year ago. They would know and understand soon though, probably inferring anyway from what she had told them back at the castle. She needn't explain here and now.

Midna directed them through the woods, having memorized the quickest path from when they had travelled through here when the ground was covered in the purple poisonous fog. After a short time, the group came to a small clearing, a little seemingly unmanned shop off to the side.

"Hello! Trill's Shop!" squawked a large headed blue bird that was perched above a small wooden box with the symbol of a rupee engraved on the front. "Lantern oil: 20 rupees, red potion: 30. Please make payment in box below!"

The group glanced at the bird, but knowing a simple red potion wouldn't heal Link, they turned and continued forward, stopping a short while later to look up at a great tree that served as the Forest Temple. Colin and the two who traveled here on their quest to save the worlds of Light and Twilight remembered the inhabitants of the temple. The Ordonian looked around, searching for the friendly female monkey who had protected Talo. He'd never entered the temple himself, but knew from the other boy's stories that it was home to the forest dweller and her friends.

"You… don't intend to go into the temple?" Colin asked, obviously concerned.

"Don't worry. Our goal isn't in that direction," Midna replied.

"Then where…" the boy drifted, eyes still wandering.

"We must go further. I am sorry Colin, but our destination is one where only royalty and Chosen are permitted to enter," Zelda explained. "Please stay behind. You may return to your village if you wish."

Colin looked at the Hylian Princess, then to Link who offered a sad smile and a weak nod as he lay in the arms of the Twili.

"I… understand. Please be careful," the Ordonian spoke, nodding in reply to them as he slowly took a step back. The royals returned the gesture and the boy spun on his heel, walking towards the way they had initially come. Once he had left, Link closed his eyes and let out a small sigh of exhaustion as the Twili spoke.

"I hope we didn't hurt him," Midna said sorrowfully after Colin had disappeared from sight. She knew he looked up to Link, and separating the two when the Hero was like this had to have been hard on him. As if his efforts less than a day ago weren't enough on Colin's mind, his fears for Link's health were still a heavy burden. The Hero himself was so drained at the moment that even he couldn't voice his thoughts regarding the boy.

"He understands it is for Link's benefit. Colin was a wise choice to replace Link as the representative of Ordon. He will make a good mayor for the village one day," Zelda responded evenly, turning to a large tree stump that overlooked the clearing and adjacent ravine.

The Princess of Light remembered this spot. She had carefully made her way along the rocks and branches, fearful that she would fall into the seemingly endless chasm below. At the time she thought she had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way, but the Princess had heard a faint whistling coming from a short distance ahead. The Hylian was glad she hadn't given up, making her passage through here and arriving in the sacred place known only to a few.

"Just a little further," she mumbled, pulling back the hood she wore as to not obscure her view of the dangerous path they would travel. Midna shook her own hood free of her face after the Hylian had done so. The royals silently nodded to one another, and with the once great Hero in the arms of a Princess, they carefully began to traverse the expanse.

* * *

 **A/N: I guess this was my first chase/action scene (at least my first with that many characters). It was simultaneously quite fun and also a pain - definitely my favorite chapter to write so far though! So much was going on and I felt as if I had so many characters to keep track of. It was a little hard for me to make sure everything was kept in order. I hope it made sense. XD If there was any particular chapter I would like feedback on regarding the coherency, it would most likely be this one.**  
 **I do apologize for the lack of Midlink moments of late. At the moment the story is focusing on Link's wellbeing, but I do look forward to covering their relationship once more! As of now there is just too much going on to fit that in, so if you are looking for more moments between the Twili and Hero, you will have to wait for a time, as I have much planned that I need to cover before then. Though I do promise they will get some time together in an upcoming chapter!**


	14. Vi et Animo

**Chapter Fourteen**

 _Vi et Animo_  
"With Heart and Soul"

* * *

The Skull Kid was bored.

 _Very_ bored.

Ever since the green clad Hero had come last to enter the ancient temple the spirit had been guarding for centuries past, no one had arrived at the woods, let alone ventured into the sacred grounds he was fated to guard. Actually, that wasn't entirely true… Nonetheless, the child wished to explore the outside world and find a friend. His puppets of wood could only provide so much fun to their master. He knew that all too well from personal experience. As much as he wanted to leave and go on a journey, the Skull Kid knew he couldn't. Was it a form of self-punishment for the suffering he had placed upon the Hero of old? Quite possibly, but at this point he had forgotten exactly why he stayed.

The spirit told himself it was because he was awaiting the return of this era's Hero. He was aware that the green clad one would eventually need to place the sacred blade back in its stone for the next in line to save the land when it fell into darkness, yet that had never come to pass. Instead a regal young woman with a strong presence of authority and wisdom arrived. Not only did she have pure blood of the royals, but she too bore the crest that the Hero had been blessed with. The Skull Kid had silently guided her to the sacred place, knowing not to play with her at this time, no matter how much he wished to do so. Upon their arrival in the grove, the soul of the Child of Destiny had sorrowfully placed the blade in its resting place, offering a prayer to the Goddesses before she silently left without once looking back.

The Skull Kid often wondered why she came and not the one he had been waiting for. The child had noticed the change that befell the land between the time he had last seen the Hero and the arrival of the royal. The air felt different somehow. It no longer had that suffocating blackness to it that threatened the very existence of all in the world of light and beyond. Instead it was pure, just as the temple had been ages past when the spirit had first come across it all those many years ago.

He sighed, twirling his reed horn expertly as he sat atop the crumbled staircase of the timeworn sanctuary. Should he call his puppets? The child didn't know what sort of game they would play anyway, so maybe instead he would continue to ponder the past, wishing to see the Hero again.

Not much more time of silent thought passed before a small breeze blew, carrying with it an all too familiar tune. The spirit perked up, praying to the ones who had given him this duty that it was his friend calling for a meeting. The Skull Kid stood, laughing to himself as a smile crossed his wooden face. The stone statues that were once his two tiny flying accomplices, but now eternally stood guarding the gateway to the blade, were the only ones to hear his snickers.

It was about time someone came to play.

* * *

The two royals and ailing Hero waited in the entrance to the Lost Woods. Link had fallen asleep in the arms of the Twili after the Hylian had begun to sing. Not all that long ago Zelda hummed a calmingly familiar tune, matching each note that whistled from a weathered stone at the base of a great tree off to the side of the copse in which they waited. The rock adorned with the crest of the Goddesses was carved in a way that when the breeze flowed through it, a peaceful melody hung in the air. After the Princess had finished singing along with the ancient piece, the sounds of the forest silenced and an eerie quiet settled over the three.

Zelda looked down at Link in Midna's arms, and the Twili followed her gaze. The Hero's eyes were closed and breathing now even. Hopefully his suffering wouldn't last much longer, but the arrival of the guardian was taking more time than Midna had patience for. The Hylian on the other hand stayed composed.

Suddenly, a small creature jumped from the branches of a tree above, landing on the floor of the forest with the sound of dry leaves. Its abrupt appearance caused the Twilight Princess to flinch, waking the one in her arms. She was still tense from the nerve-racking events of the day before and that of the stress from everything that had come to pass since she found the pained, red-eyed Hero in the night.

"You've returned! I hadn't foreseen this!" the Skull Kid exclaimed, uncanny eyes settling on the Hylian of royal blood. He had recognized her voice from the singing, and immediately knew who lie hidden beneath the guise, but still desperately wished it was his friend from log ago instead. Under the cloth the royal wore she smelled the same as she had last, even with the change of attire and passage of time. The spirit also noticed another familiar scent, but it wasn't quite as he remembered it. Before he could contemplate the change, his thoughts were interrupted as the two Princesses looked down to the short being, gazes serious.

"Child, will you once more guide the Chosen to the resting place of the Sacred Blade?" The ruler of the Light realm asked, tone questioning yet she knew he could not deny her request.

"Hee hee hee! Let's play a game first!" he giggled, surprise now waning and playfulness taking hold in its place. The somber air about them was something he didn't enjoy and wished to change, never having liked tense moods after all the stress he himself had endured many years ago. "Last time we had no fun! I didn't think a girl like you would be entertaining, so I let you come and go with no games. But now there are two of you! Hide and seek is always better with more!" the child laughed once again.

Zelda and Midna shifted their sights to Link in the arms of the Twilight Princess. The gaze of the forest spirit followed them; smile slipping from his face as his eyes rested on that of the emaciated body of the once great Hero who lie cloaked in the arms of the Twili. The Skull Kid's playfulness fell away, taking on a tone of maturity and seriousness upon seeing the distressed one he had known in the forms of a wolf and appearance of a Hylian.

"I see. Follow," he beckoned, voice monotone yet holding a hint of worry. A moment later the child turned his back to the three and began leading them deep into the woods. The Skull Kid was frightened, trying not to let it show, and didn't fully understand what was happening anyway. All he knew is that he couldn't let the soul of his savior suffer whatever he was undergoing as of now.

Without the guide, the group could very well have gotten lost in the maze forever, the Hero dying in the arms of a Princess on the way to his salvation. After a time they entered the Sacred Grove deep within the woods. The spirit of the lost child who had shown them the way looked to the forest guests as they stepped into the remains of the decrepit structure that was once a serene holy place.

"That of which you seek lies ahead. Go now," he pointed to an open doorway a little distance beyond the two towering stone statues. The royals nodded to the child, quickly running up the steps that lay a short ways beyond the door. Midna was loosing patience. She didn't want to see Link in pain any longer and felt as if they were so close to putting an end to his affliction. The spirit followed, stopping at the top of the stairs and watching as the others made their way to the blade.

"What now?" Midna asked, looking to the legendary weapon and then to Zelda who had met her gaze. The Twili only now realized that the Hylian Princess must have returned the sword to the resting place at some point after she and Link entered the Twilight Realm. She hadn't bothered to think on it with everything that had come to pass, simply following along with Zelda's wise words as her own mind was filled with worry over Link.

"Link, can you stand?" the Hylian ruler directed her question to the Hero. He hadn't said a word for the longest time, watching in silence as the forest dweller guided them. He remembered the way they took, and this time it seemed they didn't stray a single footstep from the most direct path.

"Yes Zelda. Midna, thank you for carrying me, but please put me down now," Link spoke, exhaustion obvious in his voice as he looked up at the two with his words. The royals nodded. The Princess of Twilight gently set the feet of the Hero on the ground before the sacred blade. Midna still held his shoulders, bracing Link upright. He faced the Hylian ruler once he was steady.

"What now, Zelda?" Link asked, the question weak. Even escaping the affects of the Twilight Realm a few days past, it seemed he still was getting slowly worse when in his true form. Link wondered if the use of Fused Shadows had lingering affects on him. He hoped that whatever would come to pass here would put an end to everything that plagued him. He knew that wouldn't be fully true though, as he still had business in the world of Light after he finished whatever would come to pass here in the Sacred Grove.

"Your spirit has a deep bond with this sword. It will show you drastically different paths, and you must choose one from what you are given. The blade will test your soul over this life's events, and upon you decision, expel what is no longer wanted at this time," she explained. Link nodded, not fully understanding yet aware that even Zelda wouldn't be able to clearly foresee everything he was about to face. The Hero shifted his gaze to Midna a moment later.

"Thank you, both of you. For all of this… everything you are doing, and have done," he wanted to say more – so much more – but was unable to express it, as physical exhaustion was plaguing him although the Hero hadn't been exerting himself. Link desperately wished to be back to normal not just for his own benefit, but more importantly, as to no longer worry those who care for him.

"Link…" Midna drifted, her gaze sorrowful. Of course she would do anything for the Hero. Not only because he had done so much for her, but because the Princess couldn't bear to see the one she loved suffer, even if she was still unable to speak that truth. Everything that was happening only further prevented her from telling him her feelings. One day though…

"After all you have done for our kingdoms, this is the least we can do to aid you. I am sorry for the burden and pain fate has placed upon you. If there were a way I could lessen it, I would," Zelda followed up with, interrupting the Twili's thoughts of the one she cared for deeply.

Link smiled at the words of the royals. It wasn't exactly a happy smile, but more one of worry at what was to come. No one knew just what exactly the Hero was about to face.

With a deep breath he turned towards the sacred sword. Link never thought he would see the weapon again after leaving it in Zelda's care a year past. Had it really been that long? He wondered, mind thinking over everything that had happened since that day: his parents' letter, the hidden past it contained that directly affected his present state, and most of all, what he wished to tell Midna at some point in the future. Once everything was over… he let the thought go unfinished, as the Hero still had yet to conqueror himself.

The gaze of the one blessed with courage bore into the Blade of Evil's Bane. Link placed his hands on the hilt, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as his muscles tensed to draw the weapon. Yet not a heartbeat after his lids shut, the body of the one who saved two realms crumpled to the aged stone at his feet.

"Link!" the voices of the Princesses simultaneously echoed in the grove as they caught his limp form, but it was too late, for their cries fell on deaf ears.

Link could no longer hear them.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so happy I could bring Skull Kid in! I've always thought he would be quite playful on the outside, but mature deep within from all the years he's been in the Lost Woods. Anyway, I feel as if the Skull Kid in Twilight Princess doesn't get the attention he deserves, but then again, maybe he does if he happens to be the one from Majora's Mask. Who knows though?  
Sorry that this chapter is a bit on the short side, but I felt like I needed an "intermission" before diving into the upcoming events, as the next few chapters are going to be some deep (and confusing) stuff for Link. I've done a bit of foreshadowing, so maybe you can infer what he will have to face. Either way, the climax of the story is right around the corner! :3**


	15. Auribus Teneo Lupum

**Chapter Fifteen**

 _Auribus Teneo Lupum  
_ "I Hold a Wolf by the Ears"

* * *

The Hero opened his tired eyes. He was no longer in the Sacred Grove, but instead a place that he felt was… Link didn't let the idea fully form; having suddenly noticed that he could no longer sense even the presence of Midna, Zelda, or the spirit that had led them to the blade, the weapon itself not in sight either. Link stood, garbed in his tunic and unmoving in the blackness that was somehow so incredibly familiar.

He was surrounded by nothing, truly alone in the empty expanse. The darkness was oppressing and the Hero felt frozen in place, unable to move, as his limbs were heavy. This scenario was all too recognizable in a way. Link tensed, finally sensing something other than the nothingness, yet instead of comfort or warmth, it was a malevolent presence. Searching his surroundings as his eyes darted about, the Hero tried to find the origins of the sinister sensation in the pure infinite hollowness around him. A moment or so later, a laugh echoed from everywhere and nowhere at once, its voice vengeful and threatening. Link forced himself to contain a shiver. Something about the sound was eerily unforgettable even though he was unable to place where he had first heard it.

A red glow began to take form in front of the Hero, and Link instantly felt cold as it slowly converged into a shape that outlined the blackness before him. He watched with a foreboding feeling as the darkness became more defined, the redness settling into a haze around a figure, framing its form; one that was all too recognizable to Link.

For it was he.

The Hero inhaled sharply at the sight of his doppelganger as the glow slowly faded. This was the exact shape the Light Spirit Lanayru had shown him to represent the Interlopers in the vision he was given before entering the Lakebed Temple. Though something about it was different this time, more… his thought was left unfinished as the creature broke the harsh silence, cutting it like a knife and drawing blood with the sharp words it spoke.

"Hello, _Link_ ," the mirror image seemed to say mockingly as red eyes snapped open, piercing the Hero's being that suddenly felt so very vulnerable. "May I be the first to welcome you here," a distorted smile displayed on its face as the double did a sarcastic half bow.

"You…" Link drifted as he felt himself involuntarily tremble in fright, eyes wide at the sight of himself of sorts.

"Yes, it's just us now. Remember me?" it asked with a twisted grin that seemed to bare fangs, one eye open wider than the other.

Of course Link remembered. No matter how much time passed he knew he would never be able to forget the most terrifying thing he had ever witnessed, and quite possibly ever would.

"I can see it on your face, the shock. I believe it's about time we caught up. A year has been longer than I had wished in this eternity of waiting. Oh, how I have missed you, my dearest _brave_ _Hero_."

Link swallowed as he tried to suppress his fear and calm his racing heart. He didn't know what was to come, but the Hero knew whatever it was, it wouldn't be pleasant.

* * *

"Tell me what's happening to him!" Midna shouted at Zelda. The Twili's face was full of anger and panic as the two royals gently lowered the form of the savior of both Light and Twilight to the worn stone of the ancient temple floor. Tenderly the Princess of Hyrule's shadow realm set Link's head against the pedestal the sword stood in, using the Hero's pointed hat and grey-black shroud as a pillow against the hard stone.

"It has begun… Midna, from here on out you will not be able to aid Link… he has to overcome this ordeal on his own," Zelda said, looking sorrowfully to the one she spoke of and then slowly drawing her gaze to that of the other Princess who stared back in terror, mouth agape from shock.

Those were words the Twili didn't want to hear but subconsciously knew were coming. For everything the two had gone through since the moment they met, Link had always helped her, and in return she had helped him. Even if at the time it was originally out of necessity and not concern, they still managed to get by nonetheless. Having each other was the reason they had gotten so far on their journey together, although they kept secrets then and still had them now. Without at least being by one another's side…

Midna couldn't bear to think what Link had to endure here by himself.

"His spirit is a strong one… one of the strongest in existence thanks to the Goddesses. I am sure he will pull through and make the best choice for this life," Zelda spoke, not meeting Midna's eyes and instead once more letting her gaze settle on the one before them. Midna was fearful from the words of the Light ruler, as when she spoke them, even she hadn't seemed completely certain.

The sight of the Twili followed that of Zelda's, coming to rest on Link's frozen body. He almost looked like that of a corpse from his unnaturally still form.

A short time of silence passed and without a word the Skull Kid approached, silently standing a meter or so away from the three and watching as no one shifted or spoke. He knew his time to interfere hadn't yet come, but also understood his silent presence as of now was vitally important for some deep reason, and was terrified for the health and safety of the green clad one.

Breaking the stillness that felt oppressing, Zelda undid the snap at the neck of her cloak, pulling the mantle from her body and throwing it over that of the Hero's without speaking. After it had finally settled and the Princesses gazed upon it, the Sheikah eye that rested between the shoulder blades of the shawl looked up to the royals, shedding a single tear for the one beneath it who was in the midst of meeting with a terrible fate.

All they could do was wait… and wish.

* * *

The darkness had been circling Link, throwing out taunts and playing on his emotions all while the Hero stood frozen in fear and unable to retaliate in any way that would hurt the predator that stalked him. He didn't know how long this had been going on for, or how much longer the torture would last. It was getting to the point where Link thought he would break at any moment; psychologically collapse from the burdens that were placed upon him. Somehow the shadow had found a way to twist everything good that the Hero had ever done and turn it into something dark and horrid, in effect blaming all that had come to pass, even events far beyond his control, as things that were brought upon by Link himself. One threat after another rapidly stabbed him, no conversation lasting more than a handful of seconds, if that even. That is, until the doppelganger brought up the first and last time he had confronted Link over a year past.

"Do you want to know why _I_ appeared in Lanayru's vision?" the dark mirror image of the Hero questioned mockingly but continued before his counterpart had a chance to reply. "The Light Spirit spoke of the Interlopers, gracing you with familiar images of that village girl and so on so you would better understand the tale. Oh, but that is not all! You see, the Interlopers took your form for a very good reason! They are you! Your ancestors too! Link of the Sheikah; the tribe banished for their failures and betrayal, the tribe that ran and hid like cowards. You are no _Hero_! You're merely a facsimile of the past mistakes of our people! In a way, a failed reproduction made to look like the original, a _shadow_ I daresay."

"No! That's not who I am! That's who you are! You're the darkness, the evil within me!" he rebutted uselessly, knowing his words would come back to bite him, just as they had done this entire ordeal. In response the shadow grinned.

"Yes, exactly! I'm _your_ darkness; the part of you that you still don't realize holds so much importance! The Shadow Folk from ages past, they guarded the Royal Family closely as you know, but they disgraced the proud name of their kind! A select few shamed the masses. They wished to utterly destroy the divine object of immortal lore, the Triforce! Midna has told you all this, I know. You bear the mark of the Goddesses, the Triforce of Courage. HA! Courage! So much for that if you can't even admit your pathetic feelings towards that _disgusting_ Twili."

Link's face contorted in anger as he clenched his teeth. The Hero was outraged that the Interloper before him would refer to Midna in that way, and the words of his darkness stung, hitting Link painfully in the heart. What the shadow had said before the insult towards the beautiful Princess was true. The Goddesses had indeed blessed him, but at the same time it seemed they had cursed him with all these secrets and a life-threatening hidden past. The Hero learned that his blessing was a curse not long after his feelings towards Midna became more but was unable to tell her, keeping secrets of his own, just as the two of them had done the entire time they had known one another. Link began to wonder if they would ever truly be free and at peace, the darkness here showing him that his dreams might very well be frail and hopeless.

"Yes, Link, it _is_ a curse," the shadow spoke, seemingly reading his mind. "Power cannot achieve greatness, Wisdom is unable to be free of worry, and Courage, oh Courage! Do you know what your flaw is, _Great Hero?_ " his darkness questioned rhetorically with a playful tilt of its head. "It is that you can _never_ be truly happy or make those you love feel as if they are at peace! You will always suffer in one form or another, and that will spread to all those you are close to! It's a curse tied to your very soul, tied to the fragment of divinity you hold… but you may be free of that yet. The Interlopers wished to end the cycle. That is what the defected Sheikah aimed for, that is the true meaning of the Twili! The Goddesses didn't realize what they had done by creating a tribe of magic wielders to protect the vessel in which the Triforce of Wisdom resided. Such conceit they had!" cackled the Interloper that took the Hero's form.

"That's something in the past! Midna's people have changed!" Link responded aggressively in reflex, not taking even a single moment to think over and dissect the words his shadow spoke. He knew this whole idea in one way or another and it was obvious to him that the darkness was playing with the Hero in its own twisted manner, yet Link couldn't help but snap back, bearing his own fangs in the face of the enemy that stood just out of reach. He was shackled – caged behind invisible bars that prevented him from breaking free and chasing his own shadow, no matter how useless it would prove to be. Even if he caught it, Link wouldn't be able to hurt the darkness unless he wanted to pain himself more.

"Yes, they _have_ changed, and that means so much more than you think…" a smile slipped onto the face of the darkened figure before him, eyes almost glowing even more fiercely. "She's a _princess_ , Link! And what are you? You are simply just a mixed-blood orphan who is cursed to bear the mark of destiny. No matter how much you love her, which I know you do, for I am your darkness, it won't work between you and it never will! Do you want to know why?"

He left the question open for a moment, allowing the Hero to ponder over its meaning.

"It's because she's royal! Not just any royal, like she herself said, the Twili changed from the magic in the other realm. They aren't the Sheikah your mother was. They aren't whatever _you_ have become. Your falsehood won't allow you to produce an heir, and what good is a ruler if they can't pass on the crown? You're meaningless! A toy to pass the time with from the tedious boredom of peace in her realm."

Link's mind spun. Is that the reason Midna's actions had been so confusing? It had to be why the Princess refused to show anything more than friendship towards him – if she really did feel something for the Hero. She must have known this whole time that the two of them wouldn't work, he unable to give her what the Twili's kingdom needed for the future. But if his blood…

"Why could my parents who were of different races still have me then?" he asked, mind blurred from the sudden onslaught of despairing information.

"Are you _really_ that dense? No wonder you don't have the Wisdom of the Goddesses!" his shadow threw its head back and laughed, voice a sinister cackle as it echoed in the nothingness that was the void in which they stood. Link could only watch and wait until the darkness continued. A moment later it did. "I thought you would know how these matters worked!" It shouted manically before taking a breath and once more diving headlong into an explanation. "The Sheikah and Hylians were quite similar, as you said, race being their only difference. Before their banishment, their tribe freely intermingled with that of the Hylians. Both purebloods and those of mixed races became the Interlopers upon being caught and banished after their defection, but when exposed to the magic of the Twilight Realm, the ones of mixed blood…" he left the statement hanging there for a second or so, almost as if he waited for Link to finish it. The darkness sighed with exasperation, expression becoming one of annoyance.

"Don't you remember what Midna told you or… did she not explain that fully?" he slowly smiled, knowing he had yet another thought to torment Link with. As the shadow spoke, its voice became louder. "Without powers of their own, the Hylian blood in them couldn't adapt. In essence, it and the Sheikah blood fought in a way. They also fought with the Twilight Realm, trying to reject the change, not slowly accept it as the purebloods had. These Interlopers instead changed so rapidly; becoming ill as their bodies fought themselves and the magic of the realm they were cast into. In the process they _died!_ "

Link inhaled sharply. He already knew that. He just didn't want to face it, just like all the other things he ran from. The Hero was glad that he had an alternate form to reside in to slow down the process and ease his pain. He sincerely felt for the ones who had to endure that struggle, knowing just exactly how horrid it was. The thought of the suffering made his blood run cold. Link was lucky that only one episode of sorts took hold of him before he escaped the influence of the other realm, but he knew it would continue even after that. Link was able to tell right before beginning this ordeal, as when he was in his true form, he seemed to have continued to get worse. It didn't matter if he was in Hyrule and not directly influenced by the magic of the Twilight Realm. The Hero's past would continue to follow him everywhere, never for a moment letting go of its painfully tight grip which threatened to suffocate him.

The darkness went on, resuming its explanation.

"When it comes to your parents, your mother was unaffected by magic of another world. Those who stayed in Hyrule were not altered by the powers of the twilight. Do you understand yet? _You_ can't give Midna what she needs from you as a ruler thanks to your past, and that is something that will forevermore plague you."

Link had never thought about that, about how loving the Princess would affect others. He only wanted to be happy with Midna and by her side after all the two of them had gone through together. The Hero didn't care about anything else, and in truth none of it mattered to him anyway. The reality was that he could care less about being a leader, and hadn't yet fully realized that he would be one if their relationship one day reached that level. Of course Link was well aware that the Twili was royal, but never pictured himself as attaining that status as well, if she loved him in return, that is. It was something that came as quite a shock to the Hero, but he wasn't able to think on one thing for more than a moment, as his mind continued to whirl from all that his doppelganger spoke. This whole time was Link being selfish? Only wanting his happiness and that of Midna's too? Neglecting the duties and responsibilities that would come along with it?

At his thoughtful silence the shadow spoke.

"Now, your parents weren't planning on having a child. You know this, as they admitted it in their letter to you. By pure chance you were conceived. _A mistake!_ "

Did that mean it was really by pure chance he became the Hero, simply luck of the dice that his spirit of courage was born into this era? Link's mind frantically thought back to Midna's tale, recalling the details of the events that lead to so much death and destruction. The Princess told him that the Interloper War had taken place in a time when the Hero's soul failed to come into existence in the world of Light. Link suppressed a shudder at even the thought of the pain and suffering that would have happened if that had come to pass in this age.

The darkness within him continued its harsh words.

"The Twili on the other hand have thrived with their own kind, now with weakened magic of their ancestors! You've seen their realm, having lived there a year for yourself. They're at peace, no fear or oppression – or so they thought until the spirit of Evil pervaded their kind once more. In that time Midna's people have changed! Tell me, have you ever seen a child of a Goron and Zora?" The shadow abruptly questioned without letting Link even recall if he had come across a single soul residing in said physical form. "In comparison to the Princess, the two of you might as well be as opposite as those races! At this point you're practically a completely different species from her! Not only that, but you have no magic of your own to pass on, and that is something a descendant of hers would need in order to lead, having powers solely belonging to the ruler of the Twili. Only purebloods can carry on the lineage and you're just a mongrel at most. Anyway, do you _really_ think she loves you? You're merely her pet: a little lost and injured wolf taken in simply out of pity," the Interloper spoke, pouting mockingly with his words.

It was true; the validity of his statement in the Hero's mind pierced Link's heart like a cold rusted blade. After they had made it to the Twilight Realm, Midna didn't have much of a choice when it came to dealing with the Hero. Her actions towards Link were just friendly – sympathetic if anything else. The Princess _was_ playing with him in a way – a toy like the Interloper had said. It hurt so much to think of that, knowing she only saw him in that way and nothing more. The shadow forced Link to face just what he never wanted to: the truth as he saw it now. The Hero had been denying it all for so long, shoving it aside and trying to cling to the teeniest fragment of hope that she felt something deeper – _anything more –_ towards him.

After a short time of painful silence, the shadow continued, abruptly shifting the conversation in another direction; one that Link hadn't expected and was far from prepared for.

"Let me ask, do you know _where_ you are?"

The Hero never thought to question that, his mind being far too preoccupied with all the dark sinister thoughts that dug into him like a tightly wrapped cloak of needles. For the moment he set aside his worries regarding Midna, which were far too painful to face at this time. Where they were as of now was obviously Link's own mind, wasn't it? A test of his spirit the Master Sword had placed before the Hero, seeing if he were truly worthy of choosing a path that would lead to his salvation. It was a test that seemed all too real when it came to the mental burdens and agony placed upon him. Another notion of familiarity began to creep its way into Link's consciousness, but it wasn't able to fully form as his shadow tore it to pieces and sewed it back together in a patchwork tapestry of thought.

"No, no. You're wrong…" the darkness drifted, shaking his head as he read the mind of the Hero. A twisted smile snaked its way onto its face, red eyes piercing that of the one who held the Courage of the Goddesses, sending chills to his very core at the words the shadow proceeded to speak, once more bowing in a mocking manner as the grin he displayed spread wider.

"Welcome Link… Welcome to the Sacred Realm."

Link was taken aback, heart skipping a beat as his breath caught in his throat. That couldn't be possible. The location of the Sacred Realm had been lost to time after the Interloper War. The Hero wondered if what Midna said could have been wrong. Would she lie to him? She said it was the full truth, yet…

"I see that you're confused. Let me do a bit of explaining. As you know, the Interlopers lost – in this world, that is. The Twilight Princess spoke of the war named after them, but did you ever consider if they had instead _won_?" he paused, raising an eyebrow with a tilt of the head and holding his hand out, palm up as if he were presenting the notion as an invisible physical manifestation that he held before the Hero. In all actuality, Link hadn't thought of that terrifying possibility. Maybe he hadn't done so because he was subconsciously afraid of what it could mean.

"I'll tell you," the doppelganger said, bearing his teeth in a sinister grin and clenching his open hand into a fist. "They _did_ win. Not in this era, obviously, but they had made it to the Sacred Realm in another time. For every great action there is another equal and opposite reaction, a split of sorts from what truly came to pass in the period that you know. The Goddesses won in this era, but in another we _had_ made it to the realm of the divine. We had succeeded… partially." the shadow drifted, hand falling to his side and the smile slipping from its face as the eyes of the darkness darted away from Link for a split second, scanning the blackness around the two almost as if it feared something would sneak up and attack. Not a moment later their fierce gaze bore into the Hero once again, even more intense than it was previously.

"Although we had made it here – the _here_ over _there_ –we were unable to complete our goal. The Goddesses flooded us out of the realm we so desperately craved to conquer, chasing us across Hyrule. In the process of their own actions, the immortals _themselves_ destroyed the Mirror. Yes, I'm speaking about the Mirror of Twilight. This Mirror was the same yet different than your own, being from the era where we had come out victorious.

"Anyway, the Divine Three killed us off… at a cost. In the end Hyrule was flooded, forgotten beneath the waves of a great ocean, as was what had really come to pass thanks to the fact it involved the Shadow Folk," the darkness gritted its teeth, snarl displaying on the shadowy face. "After that, the way to the Sacred Realm was truly lost to us, but…" he drifted, eerie smile once more taking place of the hateful expression. "That was only what we thought. In all actuality, they merely hid it from us, out of reach and in plain sight nonetheless. The Goddesses had to rub the truth in our faces now that we had no way of seeing our intentions through to the very end. We were dead in one time and imprisoned in the other. Since we couldn't have it, they so _graciously_ gave it to another!"

Link looked at the shadow, brow furrowing in confusion as he was lost by the Interloper's words. In response the creature's contorted smile became twisted further, eyes widening unnaturally. The darkness began to chuckle.

"Now, Link. Now you will finally know… Let me explain the full truth. It is everything your dearest Twilight Princess so conveniently forgot to tell you, for she hadn't known, and that is what is so perfect! I'll explain to you just _exactly_ what is hidden deep within your very soul. You don't simply bear the Triforce of Courage… you contain so much more, don't you, the Goddesses _Chosen Hero_?"

Link tilted his head to the side, the same action he would do when a beast to convey his confusion. He was fully lost now. The smile of the shadow became even more corrupted; a sight the Hero hadn't thought possible as he forced himself to not be unnerved by it, and the gaze of the Interloper became increasingly threatening and savage with every word it proceeded to speak.

"The Sacred Realm is within you. Link, you are a vessel, a portal of sorts to another world, and that world is right before you. Look upon it now," the darkness pointed towards Link, sharpened nail almost seeming to pierce his form even though the shadow hadn't touched him. It took the Hero a moment to realize that he wasn't being pointed at, but rather to turn his gaze. Link spun around, eyes widening as he let out a gasp to face a sight he never thought possible. Never again after the terrifying vision Lanayru gave him in the realm that was supposedly within the Hero. At this time though, Link could tell; what he saw wasn't merely any vision. It was something far greater.

The Triforce was before the Hero.

"You know of the divine power that the immortals left behind. The Interlopers wanted to wish for its destruction, using the Triforce against itself," the shadow spoke, its words suddenly becoming more optimistic to the ears of the Hero now that there was a pure light in the harsh darkness. "We can no longer have it so now it is your turn, a gift of the Goddesses themselves. This is something you so greatly deserve after everything you have gone through, isn't it? Make a wish, Link. The choice of what you want and who you can be is finally, _finally_ yours… Light? Or Dark? Two sides of the same coin, one forever casting a shadow over the other…"

The Hero looked to the sacred golden triangles that hovered in front of him. A test placed upon him by the Master Sword, or not, this was something Link knew was all too real. He tentatively reached his arm out, unaware that he was holding his breath as his heart pounded in the silence. The Triforce of Courage that shone on the back of his hand glowed in response to the closeness of its origins, and the skin where the crest adorned suddenly felt warm, almost as if someone was holding it kindly. All the darker thoughts of the shadow's barbs seemed to slip away when the light and warmth graced them.

Link could make any wish at all. Everything the world – and any of the worlds beyond – had to offer was literally within his grasp. That meant he could make Midna truly happy. Not only end the suffering that her people had to endure, but undo it altogether.

Just as he was about to lay his shaking fingers on the object of the immortals, the sight of the Hero caught the markings along his arm, bringing with it memories of the tales Midna had told him and the pain he had experienced from his changes – no, not his changes. Link had always been this way deep down. It just hadn't decided to show until the time was right, transforming him into something far from the pure goodness many had found him to be. The truth was right before him and the Hero finally, after all this time, understood and was forced to face it.

In this life Link was truly corrupted, and the Triforce was not.

He knew. Something deep within him told the Hero that if he were to fulfill his own desires, even if those wishes were to benefit another and not himself, the Triforce may very well follow the path of destruction. Though he held none of the blood from those that betrayed Hyrule, the divine powers may see the darkness in his own heart; the Interloper within him from his soul's very struggle over this life, a fragment of something tainted and leftover from ages past that wished to end existence and had somehow found a way to bore itself into him.

Everything the Interlopers had so desperately tried to accomplish would come to pass, at the hand of the spirit of the so-called Hero himself, no less. For once in his life Link was truly afraid of what he was, for he had never been the Hero.

He was always a pawn.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh boy… Over 5,000 words. That's quite a bit. This chapter and the next one are the two that I have been most eager to get to in this section of the story! Like Midna's tale, it's a lot of information. I do hope it made sense for the most part. In the meantime though, yay for cliffhangers! How I love thee so! (You probably hate me for saying that. xD)**  
 **Also, I made an illustration to go along with this chapter. The link to it (oh, puns :p) can be found on my profile page.**


	16. Vita Ante Acta

**Chapter Sixteen**

 _Vita Ante Acta  
_ "A Life Done Before"

* * *

The Interloper that took the form of the Hero had tricked Link.

The darkness smiled, watching as the one of mixed blood slowly reached with a shaking hand for the object of immortal lore. How he wished he could do this himself instead and not simply witness it, but he knew that couldn't be helped. After all, he was only a figmentation of the Hero, not a whole – not a _truth_.

He was just a shadow, something of the past that had been cast aside and forgotten once it had been found to be a nuisance. The darkness scoffed. If only the Goddesses had never intervened then they would have succeeded in this world as well, seeing their intentions through to the end in all paths of time. Then they would finally have accomplished what they so desperately wished after all of this troub—

"No," a stern and determined voice broke the cold and still silence.

"What?" the darkness spat, aggression and shock simultaneously radiating from the single syllable. Link spun to face his shadow, fists gripped tightly so his knuckles turned white.

"I won't fall for that. I will carry my personal past in this life – and that of my soul – to the very end. I don't care what I have to bear. I don't want Midna to suffer… I don't want _anyone else_ to suffer… so I can't do this. I _won't_ do this," he spoke, choosing his words carefully as he grit his teeth in an attempt to stay composed.

The Interloper was furious.

"Don't you realize that by _not_ wishing for the redemption of the Twili, it would only let her pain continue?" he questioned maniacally, knowing exactly what the Hero would have tried to fix. "You would knowingly do that? You, who would do anything for the one you love, are going to let her endure the suffering of carrying on the sins of her people's past? She could be a simple Sheikah! The two of you could have a happy family together! Isn't that what you've always wanted? Never to be burdened with this weight of destiny? Link, you can undo all that. You can destroy the shackles that bind the two of you to your fate, undoing the sins of her people and ridding your spirit from the burden of the Triforce of Courage once and for all by simply making this choice!"

"That is exactly why I won't!" Link shouted. He, too, was furious now and unable to keep his emotions under control any longer. The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments, the redness that crept up in Link's eyes a reflection of the solid color in that of his shadow's. The darkness broke the stillness after a short time, more composed than it was not long ago.

"Your spirit would never again have to endure pain and suffering if you were to simply follow through with your actions," he twisted the Hero's wish in his mind the slightest, his own shadowy form wavering as he attempted to make Link regret his hesitation and denial of what the Triforce just might have given him and the path he could follow as a choice of this test. "You'd be a normal person; she would be too!" he lied, knowing that was far from the truth. That the darkness locked within Link that was birthed from his own struggles would take control once he laid his hand to the object of the Goddesses – the Interloper would make sure of it. "I know you never asked for this, to be tried up in the strings of destiny like a puppet. Why don't you take this chance to cut yourself free from those binds?"

"Because it would mean the end of not only her happiness, but the end of everything the Goddesses created! It's exactly what you've always wanted!"

The shadow could no longer deny it. The mixed-blood known as a Hero had seen through the ruse the dark one had so carefully laid out. He froze, ruby eyes wide as the Interloper stared at Link's intent and serious gaze of mixed red and blue in disgust. It took the darkness a handful of moments to fully process the fact he had lost, but spoke once more in an irritated manner not much later.

"Tch. I suppose some of the wisdom from Zelda's spirit rubbed off on you over the many lives the two of you have shared. Since you have no deep emotional bond with her in this one, in addition to the struggles of your soul in this life in particular, I thought you would be an easy catch. Especially so thanks to your parents. I guess I was wrong, but…" the darkness drifted. "You still have a choice to make Link, a choice of your blood. Will you join those graced with light? Or follow the path of the ones who are forever cloaked in shadow? Choosing neither will result in your painful death," the darkness smiled, eyes wide, and Link could have sworn he saw a bloodied fang slip over the edge of the Interloper's lip.

The one who saved two realms had completely forgotten about the reason he faced the test in the first place: to make a decision, one that would cure him from his suffering and the pain he had put others through.

A decision that could, in a way, very well damn him instead.

The mixed-blood who thought he was a Hero had no idea how to go about making that choice, but wasn't given much time to think on it, as his concentration was broken by the sudden and familiar presence of another.

It was at that moment a golden wolf approached from the Hero's left side. Light radiated from the beast's fur, sending streaks of shining hope through the otherwise dismal black infinity. One eye of the canine was gone, a long scar crossing where it had once been, and the other was fiercely glowing red, just like the irises of the Interloper and the edges of Link's. For all three were one and the same. The darkness tensed, glancing to its right to watch the creature as it neared.

"Looks like my turn is up," the Interloper said with revulsion before meeting the Hero's eyes once more. "But remember Link, know that whatever you choose affects not only yourself, but the lives of others you hold dear. You will never escape your fate or the suffering of your eternal duty…"

At the words of the shadow, the wolf leaned its head back and howled; causing the blackness around to fade into a white expanse as the beast transformed into a familiar figure. Link's gaze was still stuck on his likeness, a deranged smile contorted the face of the darkness as light pierced its being, causing the figure to disintegrate. Its glowing red eyes vanished last, reminding Link of the crimson that crept across his own bloody irises that he had in a way inherited from the one that stood before him only moments ago.

As the last speck of darkness became that of light, Link ever so slowly turned to fully face the one who was more similar to him than he had initially believed.

"How I thought we would never again meet, my child," the familiar voice of the Hero's Shade spoke. Link wondered if he what he saw was a sad smile on the ghostly face of his mentor.

"I… at the time I wasn't sure… but now I know," Link said, voice fading a couple of times with the words. He hadn't expected his teacher to appear again, but considering what he had seen so far the idea shouldn't have come as such a shock. He had so many things to say and ask the spirit that he never had the chance to, yet Link had no idea where to start as he took a deep breath in an attempt to organize his thoughts.

The Hero's Shade waited patiently for Link's words, knowing all to well what he would speak now that they faced this situation together. Their gazes locked firmly and the one that currently held the Triforce of Courage spoke in a determined voice.

"I am you."

"Yes, just as the darkness here moments ago is as well," his past self responded. "I represent one time, and he, the other. The Sheikah of your blood were loyal as you know, but you have corrupted yourself in the process of these events. You willingly but unconsciously took upon yourself the darkness from ages past," said the wise words of the previous Hero's form.

"What… do you mean?" Link asked, deeply confused as he looked to the figure before him skeptically. His mind was already full of so much from this ordeal. At this point he couldn't tell what was right and what wasn't. This was by far the hardest test he had faced in his lifetime, and if he failed, Link may not have that much life left.

"Your love for Midna…" the translucent face of the spirit softened as it spoke. "Your care and connection to her people… Link, you want to make her happy, to be one of her kind and no longer carry the burden you had during your time as a Hero. You only want a normal life with the one you love, so you saw the faults of her tribe's past as your own. You took up a false history and in turn have prevented your own happiness, but you don't have to carry their past in a bad way. You also don't have to shoulder the burden of your destiny as Hero any longer in this life."

"But if I had wished to fix the past, to free myself, wouldn't everything have become much worse?" Link frantically questioned, now really wondering if he made the right decision in not following through with his actions just as the Interloper had said. He desperately looked around the void for the Triforce, but hadn't noticed when the object of the Goddesses disappeared. It was probably when the darkness had left, taking with it the slim chance of redemption. Link didn't know whether to blame his shadow, the Master Sword, or the Divine Three themselves for the difficulty of the ordeal and disappearance of the pure power.

"No, Link. Listen. You still don't understand who you really are."

He let his eyes come to settle on his past self in confusion. The Hero's Shade continued.

"Remember the contents of your parents letter?"

Link thought on it. That seemingly simple and straightforward note contained so much information. He'd read it over countless times and still somehow felt that he didn't fully understand the meaning, missing out on or misinterpreting a key detail.

"You are the link between two races, the sole living Hylian with Sheikah blood, or Sheikah with Hylian blood if you prefer. Part of what the Interloper spoke was the truth, the history of their people being undistorted."

"I know that," Link sighed with dismay. "Yes, what the Interlopers did was wrong, whether or not my ancestors themselves were corrupted since they stayed in Hyrule. Whatever the case, the ones that betrayed the Royal Family made so many others suffer."

"Exactly, so you must follow through with the final wish of your parents and mend the torn past."

"How can I fix something so broken? There are so few Sheikah left, Impaz is the only one I met! The only one remaining!" Link shouted; his face pained. He thought the disappearance of the darkness would solve his problems, not make them more difficult.

"There is still a way. That path is right before you, but you are guided by the wrong light," the Hero's Shade slowly shook his head.

Link tilted his own in confusion. In response the spirit before him did the same, mirroring the still living being that was blessed by the immortals.

"I-I don't understand," the one who currently held the Courage of the Divine Three spoke, voice shaking as he tried to contain the many emotions that threatened to overflow from all that he had been presented with. Link wanted to run away from it all at this very moment, not facing the struggles he was forced to endure but knew that it would be impossible to escape at this time. "What are lies… and what is the truth?"

"Much you have yet to figure out on your own, but it is true that you must pick one side to survive. You know this from the suffering you've had to endure that was triggered by the magic of another world. Your parents didn't know of the pain you would have to struggle through, or your destiny as the Hero of this era, but nevertheless they understood your life would be much more burdensome than theirs and so they feared for your happiness and safety. Link, your parents didn't want any of this for you. They only wanted peace this entire time. Peace for you, peace for the ones you loved, and peace for all of Hyrule as well as every other world… Even though they knew that if it were accomplished, it wouldn't last. It never does," the Hero's Shade spoke sorrowfully, placing his left hand over where his heart would be if he were more than a spirit. His single eye drifted closed with the movement, head bowing.

"I regretted my actions from the era I lived in. As a result, this form of me – of you – was left behind to teach what happened in order to prepare ourselves for what we must face. Indirectly what I did caused your pain and suffering." Slowly he brought his sorrowful gaze to Link's once more. "Zelda and I… we should have never thought we could stop it all, simply seeing it as nothing more than a childish game. It was because of us that the troubles in my time came to pass. Once we realized our mistake it was too late, but we tried to fix what we caused... only to make it so much worse for you. When it came down to that final moment… all of us were so eager to end everything that we forgot what was truly important. We should have stripped the power from the Evil before sealing him, but… We weren't wise and we weren't courageous…. In a sense, it is the same mistake someone very close to you made, and yet they still haven't realized it," the Hero's Shade explained, drawing his hand from his chest and looking to the back where the Triforce of Courage once resided.

Link didn't understand anything, especially that last part, confused more so than ever, but the past Hero brought his gaze to the current one once more and continued nonetheless. "But unlike the one I speak of, who was willing to deny happiness, we only did what would give ourselves a brief joy, rejecting the truth and running from it. We forgot everything, acting as if it didn't happen and so history repeated itself even worse than it was destined."

What his past self spoke directly mirrored Link's own actions, reinforcing the supposed Hero's fears. The one thing he couldn't seem to do though was forget, no matter how much he wished to not know what had happened, but maybe a choice would allow him to let go of the past Midna had told him of. Yet Link still didn't fully understand his options, only seeing information given, not decisions that could be made from it.

"Taking the power and sealing it separately from the darkness might have prevented the Interloper War, but it wouldn't have broken the cycle, as the Evil would have found a way to bring another era of pain and suffering. That is something that can't be stopped unless we wish to end existence itself. Something none of us could do, knowing it would go against what the Goddesses wanted for us, and fall right into the palms of the Interlopers and their plans."

The Hero's Shade turned his left hand so the palm was upward as he slowly clenched it into a fist. "From our actions – from your actions too – Evil will come again. You must fight the same struggle in a different life, but in this one you are done with that. Link, you are so very close to being free."

Link looked to his regrets, completely lost by its words. What did his past self want from him? To lament? To accept? To endure?

"I see I've only made the choice harder…" the Hero's Shade let his arm fall to his side. "Know that the past isn't something you should fear. It is something you should learn to understand. You must grasp it and find the truth in a bed of lies. That truth is something only you can see. Understand that regardless of who you are in this life, the Goddesses blessed you. They know the potential and Courage our shared soul holds. You don't have to carry on the mistakes of the past or be weighed down by them and you don't have to undo what has come and gone. The past is there for a different reason, and that is something you have yet to figure out on your own… No matter your decision, you still have one duty left, and then you can aim to achieve your peace."

"The Interloper told me my curse is to never attain peace. It's a cycle, just like you said!" Link shouted. He was furious with all the seemingly contradictory information he was given. Nothing was straightforward. But then again, nothing had ever been straightforward.

"Yes, both happiness and hate are part of the same cycle. They ebb and flow like the tides. You need to go with them, not against them. Please, stop struggling and take a step back. You need to see the bigger picture that is around you… You have two choices. Now you know the good and the bad, the truths and the lies, even if you can't tell which is which, you have to face this decision. To live the life of a Hylian you would be what others always saw you as: the Hero of this era, but heroism isn't what would give you happiness, is it?"

Link looked to his feet, eyes drifting over the tunic he wore that symbolized the courageous spirit he possessed. No, it wouldn't. Did that mean he had to sacrifice his own happiness for that of others? Apparently someone close to him had attempted to do so. His parents caused the suffering of others and attained their peace, for a time, so it couldn't have been them. The mind of the one with two pasts spun. If he broke free of who he has been in this life and embraced happiness, then he hoped he would be able to, in a way, forget all the pain and suffering… but the cycle would continue just as badly or even worse than before. After a moment his past self continued.

"The other choice is to live the life of a Sheikah. You wouldn't be a Hero any longer, but you could be by the side of the one you love. Everyone would see you differently than they have previously, and that would be something you would have to live with… Either way you still hold secrets, and you must decide what to do with them." Link looked up at his words. He felt he was so close to the end of all this.

"Now, this was my life and the temporary peace I grasped after my duty had been fulfilled," the Hero's Shade spoke, extending his ancient arm as Link looked to it, eyes setting on the open palm. "Witness it and know that you still have the option to finally gain your happiness, even if you must first wade through a bloodied sea of pain and suffering to reach it."

As the words of his mentor faded, the white expanse brightened until Link was forced to close his eyes. "Look," the voice of the Hero's Shade echoed around him a moment later. In response to his instruction, Link did so, eyelids slowly drifting open to be greeted by bright and colorful surroundings that were familiar to his core yet unknown to him upon the surface.

Now he saw the world through the eyes of a young boy. He stood in a courtyard, alone other than a little girl in a pink bonnet that gazed beyond a small window before her. He unconsciously took a step forward, the action not done by him, but by a feeling that he was drawn to something so familiar about child in front of the glass pane. Upon hearing his movement she turned to face him with an expression of shock, which quickly changed into a smile that he returned, the laughter of the two echoing in the courtyard as they recognized the all too familiar yet foreign one before them. But only the Hero's Shade within him understood who she was. Link still couldn't place the feeling of knowing the child.

The next thing he knew the girl was older, her features more defined and much less child-like as she seemed to have taken on a womanly figure from the time that had passed in the blink of an eye. The two sat on the ground in the courtyard, legs crossed and facing one another, her smile wide from the words she spoke to him moments ago, and his breath catching in his throat from them. The voice of a young man left his lips after a short pause, yet Link had no control over what he said or the actions that accompanied his shocked reply.

"B-But I'm of common stock, an orphan even. I never knew my parents and spent my childhood in the forest while you…" as his voice drifted his gaze followed, looking to the grass before him as his heart raced. "You're royalty. I-I am not worthy of being loved by one as great as the Princess of Hyrule."

"You are more than worthy: singlehandedly defeating the Evil King and bringing an era of peace to this kingdom." He lifted his sight with the words of the one who sat facing him and met the Princess's blue gaze. "To rule by your side would be an honor for me. We _will_ make this work," she said, holding up the back of her hand where the mark of Wisdom rested. Her other hand reached for his, lifting it next to her own, his crest of Courage glowed in response to the closeness of their hands that bore the symbol of the Divine Three.

"The Goddesses destined the two of us in this life from the struggles and memories only we share. They will approve of our union and the people will see this," she leaned forward, suddenly laying her lips to his. When she pulled back the environment was different.

The same young woman, albeit a little older, stood before him. As they looked into the other's matching eyes, the two embraced one another, her arms hanging over his shoulders and his about her waist. The window of the room they were in let a small breeze through and the woman shivered the slightest with the movement of air, her nightgown swaying with the motion. Not a moment later she turned her gaze to look out the window next to them and into the darkness of the recently cloaked night.

"Something wrong?" The question left his lips worried as he looked to her with concern.

"Of course not. Tomorrow is your coronation," she spoke with a smile, turning to face him once more. He felt his own lips curve up in happiness at her words as she brought her face close to his again.

"We truly have come so far," he said almost unbelieving, the tip of his nose brushing hers, arms wrapping around the woman's figure further and pulling her closer as she smiled.

"Yes, and you will be King of all Hyrule by morn, but…" she leaned her head forward, bringing her mouth next to the side of his face. Her breath was warm on his skin as she whispered into his pointed ear, "tonight you will be my King, and my King alone."

She giggled, the scene changing once again with her laughter. This time the two stood in the same courtyard that the vision began in. The woman was some years older, as was he. She looked up to his face while hers was contorted in sorrow. She seemed a painting: two-dimensional and no depth other than the emotions she displayed. The woman rested her hand on his cheek, softly stroking her thumb across his skin.

"Your eye…" she drifted sadly, water in her own threatening to overflow.

"I still have one more, and it wishes dearly to see your joyous smile," he spoke, pained at her sorrow as he reached out to brush aside a stray hair that had fallen in front of her face. His depth perception was off and he accidentally poked the woman's cheek just beneath her eye. She flinched the slightest and he cringed from his unintentional actions. Not a moment later, the edges of her lips curved upward in a doleful but loving smile and she pulled his face close to hers, gently and kindly laying her lips to where his once blue iris gazed at her lovingly. He closed his remaining eye and savored the moment.

Once he opened his lids again he was sitting on a chair next to a bed that the woman lie in. She was propped against a pile of pillows atop the mattress, fabric wrapped around something in her arms. Although exhaustion plagued her, the smile she wore was one of contentment.

"Look," she spoke softly, carefully handing the bundle of cloth to him. Gingerly he took it, warm in his hands as he pulled aside some of the fabric to see the treasure that lay hidden within. A newborn was swaddled in the wrap and the father couldn't help but show a loving expression to his child. "A new life… One we brought into the world."

The baby shifted and the mother laughed quietly in response, reaching out and letting it grasp her finger with tiny hands. "Thank you…" she spoke, eyes drifting from the infant and meeting that of his single remaining iris that gazed joyously to the new mother. "I am glad we will be able to raise this one in a time of peace because of your valiant efforts to save this world. I love you Link…"

And with those words, the vision ended. The last scene had hurt Link the most, memories of what the shadow had told him plagued his mind, realizing he very well may not be able to give Midna that happiness in this life, if she even cared for him in the same way he did to her. As the thought drifted it took Link a moment to notice that he was once more in the void, but the Hero's Shade was nowhere to be seen.

He was truly alone yet again.

Link spun around, wide and panicked eyes frantically searching for something – anything – to let him know he hadn't been abandoned by life itself. It seemed like after all this, the notion wasn't that far fetched. The faint warmth on his skin where the mark of the Goddesses rested was his only proof that he was still living, though it felt like the warmness wasn't his own but that of another.

Eventually his gaze came to rest on the Master Sword.

The weapon stood, propped upright in the void by an invisible force, but something within Link clicked at the moment his sight settled on the Blade of Evil's Bane. Although it was struck in a nonexistent stone here, he knew at the same time it was in the Sacred Grove. That is where Link was the whole ordeal: within himself and not once alone as his physical form resided in the world of Light. Somehow, he had begun to understand once again. The Princesses he had shared so much with were close by, watching over him concerned. He couldn't keep them waiting.

"It is time to make your choice, Link. Do you understand at least some of the truth now? There are still secrets and lies that you must face, but the past isn't a bad thing – far from it. What you accept to do with it, and how you reveal all that keep it hidden is key. You don't have much left to endure, but it may be a struggle just as difficult as this has been," the voice of the Hero's Shade echoed. Link looked around once again, searching for himself. It was then he noticed that at some point the void had become neither light nor dark. It was glowing. A serene beauty, that of which resembled the hour of twilight and the shadow realm named after it. Or had the time of day in Hyrule been named after the other world? His thoughts were broken by the sound of a familiar beast.

The call of a wolf echoed remotely around him and in time faded to nothingness.

" _Goodbye,"_ Link thought briefly. Silence pressed down on him once more, almost preventing him from moving. He didn't know how long it would last, as the seconds of nihility seemed to drag on forever. Link was relieved when the quiet was broken, even though it was done by an unexpected sound.

"Master… I know you will make the best choice," an ethereal voice resonated in the expanse. Something about it was vaguely familiar, as was the one that followed.

"Hey! Listen! You can do it!" a high-pitched call echoed, and finally someone all too familiar spoke. Someone Link desperately wished to see the beautiful face of once again and finally find a way to start exposing the secrets that kept the two apart. The simple words of hers held so many memories and emotions.

"Link… I…"

As the unfinished statement drifted he looked to the sword before him, not realizing that tears had begun to obscure his vision. He blinked them back, taking a deep breath while he placed his hands on the hilt of the ancient blade, preparing to draw the weapon that had accompanied his soul through almost every era; for it was the last time he would be worthy of its majesty in this one. Link lifted the sword almost effortlessly, drawing the blade from its invisible stone to leave behind the Sacred Realm and, in a way, the Courage he had been blessed with, once more entering and enduring that of the worlds he had saved. Link was aware he could no longer hide within himself now.

He knew what his decision would be, and hoped the two who put so much on the line for him would accept what he had become.

Most of all, Link hoped he would be able to accept himself.

* * *

 **A/N: 10,000+ story views?! 53 reviews, 50 favorites, and 86 follows?! Yay! People are actually enjoying this! xD Thank you so much everyone! :3**  
 **Anyway, yes, I snuck some OoT Zelink into this TP Midlink story. :p (I've got multiple OTPs, so deal with it.)**


	17. Vincere est Vivere

**Chapter Seventeen**

 _Vincere est Vivere  
_ "To Conquer is to Live"

* * *

Midna and Zelda sat next to Link's frozen body, an expression of hollow indifference on his face. They knew not of what he was going through and for that very reason, feared deeply for him. The tense and foreboding pressure in the air was almost unbearable. The Twilight Princess was afraid that he would never wake up, and instead of bringing the Hero to his salvation and rebirth; she had brought Link to his final resting place, the Master Sword his tombstone.

The Twili bit her lip. No, she wouldn't let this be the end for them and she knew Link wouldn't either; after everything he had already gone through. Even if he didn't know how much she cared for him, the Hero at least wouldn't willingly leave the Princess behind. Midna knew that from when he followed her into the Twilight Realm. Link said he needed someplace new – someplace to be by her side. She felt for him in a deep way, but she knew he wanted to be with her from the friendship they had shared on their journey and because Hyrule no longer held any mystery or unknown thanks to the fact that the two of them explored every centimeter of the land, water, and sky of that world. Midna saw all this as the truth from the way he acted towards her: just as he had always done before. His lack of response in any way to her surprise kiss was proof of how he felt. Or rather, lack of feeling towards her.

Going back to how it was without him… she couldn't bear the thought, even though the Twili originally intended to leave the Hero behind. Midna wondered the slightest bit if the reason he didn't want to see her go was because of a slim chance of _something_ more between them. No, he hadn't shown anything like that towards her. True that upon first entering the Twilight Realm a year past, Link had told the royal that she was his family, but just that: family. Nothing more and nothing less. Not family out of love, but out of friendship from all they had experienced. Yet for some reason Midna couldn't help but feel as if there was a possibility that would one day lead to a family in the romantic sense and not just that of the platonic form.

The Princess hoped that at some point he would be her King, and she, his Queen.

Right now, by his side and eagerly waiting for him to return gave Midna time to think on this more so than she ever had before. After that night in the Twilight Realm, she hadn't had a chance to sit back and contemplate everything and just how much he meant to her. Only once he had begun to suffer did she realize that Link was so precious and irreplaceable. When he was free of his pain and of his struggles, then the Twili would finally tell him. After this, Midna couldn't bear the thought of Link not knowing what she felt, even if she was fearful of the possibility that her confession might distance them more. She had run far too great a risk already by waiting this long, but at the same time she had to first make sure he was well once more. The Twili didn't want to ail him again, just as she originally feared her affectionate actions towards the Hero had.

The Twilight Princess sighed and drew her gaze from Link's still form, looking up to the Hylian in the guise of a Sheikah. Zelda's sight was on the Hero, but she seemed to be looking deeper somehow. Almost as if her intense stare would allow her to see what he was going through at this very moment. Midna's eyes traveled from the Light Princess and crossed those of the Skull Kid's.

After witnessing the events from a distance for what seemed like forever, the spirit walked up to the body of the Hero and stood by his side in silence for a moment before placing his hand on Link's forehead. Midna and Zelda watched his actions without question as the spirit's eyes drifted closed. From his demeanor, he seemed to be in deep thought. A moment or two of stillness that felt as if it lasted an eternity passed, and finally the creature spoke in a neutral voice.

"I know that you are worried, but your friend is safe as of now. My Hero is watching over him from afar at this very moment, but the darkness…" the forest dweller drifted, opening his eyes and pulling back as he gazed to the form of the current wielder of Courage, concerned expression on the face of the deeply mature child.

"What do you mean darkness?" Midna asked nervously, brow knit in concern. The fears from her earlier thoughts of losing the one she loved took their painful hold of her once more. The Skull Kid simply shook his head at the words of the Twili, looking to the ground. Furious about the lack of response, Midna lunged forward, grabbing the tiny body of the spirit by the shoulders and shaking him viciously. "Tell me! Is Link going to be okay?!"

"Midna!" Zelda exclaimed, shocked by the sudden aggressive actions of the other royal. The Light ruler quickly reached out, strongly gripping the arms of the Twilight Princess and forcing her to stop with her violent movements. Once Midna's limbs had been stilled, the two rulers could see the Skull Kid's eyes spin as his head lulled. After a moment he shook in the grip of the Twili and angrily looked to Midna. She reluctantly let go of the creature with a scowl, letting him fall to the ground. Zelda released the other Princess and the eyes of the two royals met, face of the Twili becoming serious and troubled once again.

"I understand your worry for him, as I fear for Link as well. You two have a deep bond, and that is understandable from all that you have endured together. I am intertwined with him spiritually by the will of the Goddesses, and in past lives we have been bound more tightly, yet in this one, fate sought to give him a chance in something new… To test his soul." Zelda's gaze drifted from that of Midna's and back to Link. His face was still unreadable. "I can see that you share something intimate with him in this life…"

Midna inhaled sharply, heart racing for a moment or so until she calmed herself with a deep breath, proceeding to look to the Hero and then draw her gaze towards Zelda once more before speaking.

"How do you…" the Twili drifted. With her face partially hidden behind the scarf, it was difficult to read Hylian's true intentions behind the words, but Midna felt as if the other royal had known the feelings of the Princess for at least some time, Zelda being wise as she was.

"Your concern for him is more than just that of a very close friend… and the guard that escorted you to your chambers in my castle told me of your requests," Zelda replied. Something in the tone of her voice made the Twilight Princess feel as if the ruler of Light was smiling beneath the veil that she hid behind. The pale blue skin of Midna's face reddened. It was bad enough that she worried Link had picked up on what she said, taking it in the wrong way. Luckily though it seemed he was much too exhausted to notice, but of course Zelda had seen the unintentional meaning.

"B-But with him ill like that… and after… what…" she didn't finish one thought before the next, too flustered over Zelda's words.

"I am well aware of the fact, and know that you two aren't the type to do so. Your love transcends that, being pure and true. Nevertheless, I see that I am right regarding your feelings."

"You mean it was all a test?" Midna asked, letting out a breath in disbelief. She'd fallen for it.

"Yes, and it appears that you have passed."

The Twili sighed, taking a few moments to compose herself once more. She should have known that considering it was Zelda she was speaking to. Midna glanced back at Link, then to the other Princess yet again. Zelda's sight was on the Hero, intense thought obvious from her strong gaze.

"You really do deserve to be blessed. No one in Hyrule could have said it wiser than you, but…"

The Hylian ruler drew her sight away from Link and towards that of the Princess of Twilight. By now the Skull Kid had stepped back to where he was before approaching the group, out of reach of the Twili's long arms but still within hearing distance.

"I haven't told him everything…" Midna said somewhat sorrowfully, biting the edge of her lip and not looking Zelda directly in the eyes.

"I see," the Hylian spoke cryptically. She was concerned about her misjudgment and what that could mean for the two. "I am sorry I seemed to have misunderstood where your relationship with him currently is. Midna, there is a time where you must explain the full truth. Link cares for you deeply, but he is not the type to take initiative in these matters as of now. He hopes that he has gained your approval, but keep in mind of your status. He does not want to overstep his bounds and is fearful of hurting you."

The Twilight Princess was shocked, eyes snapping up to look at the gaze of the other royal. Did Zelda see Link's actions towards the Twili in that way? Or was this yet another test of hers? After a moment Midna took a deep breath, bringing her sight back to the subject of their conversation. In her heart she had hoped Link held the same emotions and now that she thought on it, Midna knew that whatever he felt – friendship or love – Link didn't want to hurt her just as Zelda had said. It was why he tried to keep his pain and suffering a secret. It was also the same reason he hid his past even after he learned of it from his parents' letter. Just like why she had kept her identity a secret during their previous journey in Hyrule.

The Twili was in turmoil. She wasn't entirely sure what to do when it came to advancing their relationship at this point. More than ever she wanted Link to know, but at the same time understood it would be stressful with everything he was currently going through. To calm herself Midna closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. After her mind had settled and her frenzied thoughts put aside for the moment, the Twili reached out, pulling aside the Sheikah cloak and setting her hand on the back of Link's, in the process covering the Triforce of Courage with her palm. The Princess gently squeezed his hand and the skin of the Hero was cold to her warm touch.

"He's… going to be okay, right?" she asked nervously, worried eyes not leaving his face. Zelda was silent for a few moments.

"Considering what he has gone through to make sure you have been kept safe, I do believe so. Link does not wish for you to be hurt," the Hylian royal responded, reinforcing Midna's thoughts from before. "He is going through much currently. I think that letting him know you are by his side and watching over him will help greatly."

Midna bit her lip again. She understood, fearing the feeling of being left behind or alone. When the Hero had first begun to change, she was so scared he would leave her, and knowing that they had to return to Hyrule to save him, she couldn't – and wouldn't – let Link go on his own. It was not just because he was ill, but also because she was afraid they would never again see one another, even if leaving the Twilight Realm meant she had to selfishly abandon her world for who knows how long. The Princess knew that after he was safe and sound, then they would find a way back, and Midna desperately hoped he wouldn't stay behind. Just as she had tried to force him to do the day she shattered the Mirror.

So no matter what his decision would end up being, Midna had to let him know.

The Princess of Twilight leaned over the Hero, her hair that was bound in a ponytail threatened to fall over her shoulder, so she held it in place as she slowly brought her face near to that of his.

"Link… I…" she whispered with an expression that was a mix of sorrow and nervousness, voice drifting as she glanced up at Zelda. The other Princess nodded and Midna looked back to the Hero before her. This shouldn't be so difficult… to tell him what she really felt. After everything they'd gone through and Zelda's wise words, the Princess wanted to expose the truth so badly, but also knew that this wouldn't be the right time to do so, even if her words would end up falling on deaf ears at this moment.

Yet if Midna didn't tell him one day, he would never hear her. So the group continued to wait in the tense silence of the Grove, the Twili's concerned face sadly hovering above that of the one she loved.

* * *

Link abruptly sat upright and violently cracked his forehead against that of Midna's. He immediately fell to his back once more, expression contorted in pain as his eyes were squeezed shut while the Princess of Twilight held her hands to her head she swore was bleeding but really wasn't, trying her best to focus her now wandering and blurred eyes on the Hero. The royal was glad she left her crown in the other realm or the injury could have been much more severe.

"Link!" Zelda shouted in surprise, glancing to Midna then to the one who had saved two realms before her who moaned in pain, forehead already beginning to bruise from where his skull made contact with that of the Twili's. The foreign Princess grimaced from the headache caused by the unforeseen action, but quickly suppressed the pain and focused on Link. After a moment or two his eyes snapped open and the two royals gasped at the irises that gazed back up at them.

They were a solid red; just as the night he first underwent the change.

Quickly they shut again in response to the light. After being the void, Link wasn't expecting the brightness of Hyrule, even though he knew that's where he would be, his physical form having resided there the entire time his soul underwent the ordeal.

That's right. He made a choice and came out a different person than the one that had entered the struggle. He wasn't a Hero anymore. He wasn't what everyone thought him to be.

Link was a Sheikah.

His eyes opened once more, this time slower, as he brought his hand above his face to block out the light, but that wasn't necessary with the two royals leaning over him. Link let his arm fall aside, looking up to the Princesses with a weak smile on his face as their expressions displayed concern.

"I'm feeling better," he told them as to not worry the two. Link hadn't immediately noticed, having first felt the connection of his forehead with that of the Twili's, but he really _was_ physically less pained. The exhaustion that plagued him seemed to be gone, and his senses suddenly much more alert. Link had forgotten what it was like to feel normal, but he didn't truly know what normal was like anymore. This feeling of himself… something about him was different. The way he was right now was almost indescribable, having never been a true Sheikah. In the vaguest sense he felt the slightest bit like a wolf, an alertness of senses under the calm of what he was used to.

He slowly pushed himself up while the two moved aside in silence to give him room to do so. The Skull Kid watched eagerly from where he stood, but didn't approach Link. The spirit felt something was different about the Hero he had known; that this wasn't the same one that had saved him so long ago, and simultaneously was and wasn't the one that he led through the woods in two forms.

Even before seeing his eyes, somehow Zelda knew that this would be the decision Link would make. She was glad he chose this option considering how much he and Midna cared for one another, but at the same time she was concerned. The Hylian Princess knew it would plague the one previously known as a Hero to follow this path. His physical discomfort was gone for the time being, but he still had emotional turmoil to put up with and overcome in time. All of which would be harder than the Light Princess originally thought thanks to her misinterpretation of Midna and Link's relationship. Zelda hoped that Link wouldn't break under the pain of what he was now, especially after he had come so far already.

The Twili looked over the one who had abruptly awoken. Other than his eyes that matched the color of hers, he hadn't changed physically from before. The markings on his skin were still present, albeit possibly the slightest bit more navy bluish and less black, but that just might be her vision from the collision her head had undergone moments ago.

"Link… your eyes…" Midna drifted. She was expecting them to be the familiar and calming blue, not the red of her own, and so the Twili was confused by what she saw. She felt left in the dark somehow. The Twilight Princess knew that Zelda understood what had happened to him, and Link undoubtedly knew as well from whatever he experienced, but the Twili felt that there was still a secret being kept from her, something hidden in the shadows.

Link smiled sorrowfully at Midna, drawing his gaze from her shocked one a moment later. He didn't want to see her like that and knew from her reaction that his choice pained the Princess, even if she didn't fully understand it. Link was beginning to fear his decision but knew he couldn't go back on it now. He had to make it work, and he would.

"I'm sorry I worried you… I really am better now." He looked to his lap, gripping the fabric of the Zelda's cloak that had covered his form as he was enduring his test. The Sheikah eye on it reminded him of what he had now fully become.

"What did you have to go through?" Midna asked concerned, dropping her previous question for the moment.

Link winced the slightest at her words. So much had happened to him, he didn't know where to begin. He wasn't sure what to tell Midna, as he feared of lying to her in a way, not knowing what he had learned during his struggle to be true and what was false. All he knew was his own emotions, and the choice he made. He needed to tell her that, and he would. Just… not now. Not seeing her pained like this. He took the words of the Hero's Shade to heart, knowing he had to be careful with how he explained everything he knew, uncovering what was hidden to him and what he kept from others. The truth behind it all could hurt so much more than not knowing. Link knew that from how he felt regarding what Midna had told him of the Interloper War. After learning about the history, he wanted to forget – to _not_ carry the knowledge. But at the same time, as much as it hurt, he had to understand that without the past that Midna had told him of, he probably wouldn't have made it out of this alive.

"Link," Zelda broke his thoughts. He didn't realize that he'd been staring off into nothing, contemplating what he was now and what that meant.

"I…" he drifted, almost beginning to explain something – anything – he had encountered in his ordeal to satisfy a portion of any of the many queries he was bound to be asked, but Link needed time to think on it all. Somehow he had the feeling that Zelda understood much, her wisdom easily letting her deduce the truth – or at least part of the truth – simply from his eyes. He didn't need to see his own reflection to know that Midna meant they were red. He knew that by her previous statement and the look on the face of the Twilight Princess when she said it.

Link pulled the cloak that had covered him like a blanket off of his form, handing it to Zelda. She grasped it without a word as he stood, the others silently following his action. It was at this moment the Skull Kid took a step towards Link, the eyes of the two met, and a second or so later the creature spoke.

"I see you have awoken and made your choice…" the voice of the spirit drifted and he looked to the sword briefly before his gaze settled on Link once more. "I will accept it, but you're not the same person I knew long ago."

Link inhaled sharply, understanding whom the spirit spoke of.

"Your soul is still the same though, even if what you are now is the antithesis of what you have been before. You chose to follow another path in this life. You have moved on from your duty just as he, but unlike him, you know better, don't you? Even if you do still carry some darkness within, it is there for a purpose, just as all things are. I hope you can see that."

The words relieved Link and he nodded subtly. He hadn't fully abandoned what he was. Deep down he was still the same as before, in a vague way. He understood what he had to do, not questioning how the spirit seemed to know, if it indeed understood exactly what Link needed to face. Either way, the creature was right: he still had some darkness in him, some secrets that shunned the light but one day must face it.

Midna was completely lost, more so than ever. She wanted to know the truth. At the same time, she knew that she wouldn't understand it all – at least for a while – just as he didn't understand everything about her. The Twili had kept secrets of who she was on their journey to save the lands. The Twilight Princess knew he was still keeping so much from her, and now wondered after Zelda's earlier words if something Link hadn't yet told the Twili regarded Midna. If he didn't say anything soon, she would need to take action herself. She didn't want to keep preventing the truth from coming out. Midna needed to stop more pain between them, but couldn't say anything at this moment. It was too soon after whatever he faced. She could see that in his eyes and the sorrow they held when she spoke to him. She needed to find the right moment, and she needed to do so soon, fearing that if she waited much longer things would only get worse in a way.

Zelda simply stood, watching the exchange and actions of the ones before her in silence. Hidden beneath the disguise her ancestor wore, the Princess knew that they couldn't see her own fears and struggles for them. It would be difficult for the bond between the two to fully be known by each. In addition to that, the Hylian knew they couldn't stay in Hyrule forever, having to return to the Twilight Realm at some point. With Midna being royalty, she couldn't very well abandon her people, and knew that the Twili wanted to go home as soon as possible. Zelda had noticed that she never directly addressed how to get back to the Twilight Realm, and feared that the magic of the Fused Shadows was severely weakened from their arrival. The Hylian was the slightest bit frightened, knowing what must be done eventually, but was confident that it would come to pass well. Link had made it through the ordeal he faced mere minutes ago. If the two truly were meant in this life, they would overcome what still lay ahead of them.

"That is all I have to say on the matter," the Skull Kid spoke, bringing everyone's attention back to the moment and out of their minds. "I will guide you out whenever you are ready to depart. Next time though, you must pay for passage through this place by playing a game with me. I do not like serious matters such as these," the spirit said in a tone that contradicted his words.

Link nodded subtly, knowing the creature didn't mean him in this life, as the one that was until recently the Hero would never have the need to return to the Sacred Grove now that this struggle of his was finally over and another took its place. He turned to the Master Sword, looking at the blade as well as the hat that lay folded atop the cloak he had worn on their journey to the holy place. The green fabric of the cap held so many memories for him… but Link knew he couldn't – and wouldn't – ever go back to that way of life now.

He was no longer the Hero in this era.

But was he finally free?

Link knew he wasn't. He still had much to do, more questions to answer. Before he began the ordeal, he hoped that upon completing it, it would have been the end of it all. That he could be at peace with Midna, finally telling her what he felt.

But now more than ever Link sensed that he couldn't, at least not in this moment. The once Hero of Twilight would tell her the truth, he knew that. He just needed to do it when it wouldn't hurt her… when it wouldn't hurt himself. He needed to find the ideal time, which would be after he had begun to expose other more immediate truths – his new identity and reasoning behind choosing it, for one.

Without a word he leaned down, picking up the clothing and tossing the cloak over his shoulders. Link looked at the hat in his hands, clenching the fabric and quickly putting it on his head. It felt a bit odd to be wearing the cap once more after all he had gone through.

With a sigh, the once great Hero placed his palm on the pommel of the sword, knowing that he wasn't worthy of taking up the blade again after his actions and choice of who to be in this life. He stood there in silence for a few moments, his internal conflict still not completely solved, and the meaning of the words his past self spoke regarding his duty to his parents remained a mystery to him. He still had so much to do.

"Link…" the voice of Midna broke his thoughts and a weak smile crept onto his face, the cry of a distant wolf just barely audible following the sound of his name that the Twilight Princess spoke.

 _Thank you_. He thought to the call, then took a deep breath and turned to the royals. He nodded towards the two, expression serious, and they left the Grove in silence, not once looking back.

* * *

 **A/N: Random, and I don't know _why_ , but for some reason I burst into laughter when writing the part where Midna grabs Skull Kid. xD  
Anyway, ehhh… not satisfied with this chapter, especially the latter half. :/ Between touching up a _Legend of Zelda_ cosplay of mine for Halloween (the character is a secret to everybody), organizing an international _Legend of Zelda_ event, _Tri Force Heroes_ , my most labor-intensive _Zelda_ fanart project to date, a bunch of one-shots that have just come to me, and non- _Zelda_ aspects of life (yes, I am a normal human being who only writes fanfiction in my spare time); I feel this story is starting to take a dip in quality, and I'm sorry about that. :( The chapter after next is something I _really_ want to make good, so I'm going to be putting most of my effort towards this fic as of now into that. Next week's chapter will probably be really "meh" because of those reasons. I'm sorry! D:  
Also, it's still Sunday in my time zone, so this chapter isn't by any means late. (You're just used to the fact that I've been updating it so early in the day over these past months. :P)  
**


	18. Scio me Nihil Scire

**Chapter Eighteen**

 _Scio me Nihil Scire  
_ "I know that I know nothing"

* * *

Colin stood outside of Coro's hut, talking with the man that sold lantern oil. They hadn't really been discussing much, as it was more of an awkward silence between the two that was intermittently broken by an occasional question regarding simple matters. Nothing serious was brought up, and Colin was glad about that. After everything he had gone through in the recent past and the fact that Link was in the middle of something deep within the woods as he and Coro waited only made the boy's fears grow. He couldn't relax until he knew Link was safe and back to normal again.

The messenger spun around when the merchant's gaze drifted over the young Ordonian's shoulder, and his jaw dropped. The group that had ventured into a secret portion of the forest approached, cloaked once more. Colin let out a little gasp, followed by a smile, upon noticing that all three figures were walking sturdily. Seeing that made his fears instantly disappear.

Link was well again.

The Ordonian that served as messenger didn't know how, but figured there would be no point in asking anyway, as he still hadn't managed to understand everything that he was told at the pub in Castle Town. He quickly approached the three, but his demeanor became solemn upon the silence that they gave him.

"Is everything all right?" Colin asked, brow furrowing in concern. He was glad to see that Link appeared to be well now, but something about the air around the group made it difficult for him to be cheerful.

"Yes, everything is fine. I'm much better Colin," Link spoke monotone; face carefully still hidden beneath the hood of the cloak he wore once more. The boy knew that wasn't entirely true. He glanced at Coro for a moment, who in return waved at the group. Colin then turned back to the three figures before him, not knowing exactly what would be appropriate to say at this time.

"What will you do now? Do you want to stay in Ordon?" he asked, mind full of other questions but unable to pick just one of the more serious topics to bring to the table.

Link was silent for a short while, thinking over what it would mean if the group stayed the night there before venturing back to the heart of Hyrule. After everything he had gone through, he didn't want to face the villagers at this time, knowing that it would only make things more complicated, and he couldn't have Midna's strange appearance risk being revealed without a lengthy and exhausting explanation. Leaving without even a goodbye… Link squeezed his eyes shut, but knew no one could see the action hidden beneath the hood. A moment later he opened them sorrowfully. Maybe it was for the best to simply go without a word. Link knew that at some point Midna would return to the Twilight Realm, and he would join her just as he had before. Hopefully then he could tell the Princess everything. He had to begin somewhere though, and Link knew he would soon.

"I… I'm sorry Colin, but we have to head back to Hyrule Castle," Link eventually replied, knowing Zelda needed to return to her duty as ruler and subconsciously falling back on that notion as an excuse in his mind. Midna and Link would come along with the Hylian Princess. He understood that it would take time for the Fused Shadows to regain their power and allow the two of them to go back to the other world, but it would be best to stay at the castle in the meantime. Midna would be safe from prying eyes there, and Link knew that if they went to Ordon no one would give them a moments rest, constantly asking questions of what happened and why he was gone for so long.

"Oh…" the boy replied somewhat sorrowfully, mouth hanging open and letting his gaze drift as the idea completely took hold.

"I am sorry Colin. I know you want Link to return to the village, even if it is for a short time, but I must go back, and they have their reasons for returning with me," Zelda spoke, interpreting Link's meaning behind why he denied Colin's offer. She glanced to the one who had saved her kingdom, then to the Ordonian that took his place as messenger.

"I understand. You have your duties…" the boy drifted, blinking a few times to focus his eyes and looking to his feet, not wanting the others to see the sadness in his face.

"Colin, can you go tell Telma that we're done here?" Link asked, knowing what he must do now. At his words the boy's head snapped up and the one that had served as a role model and brotherly figure was glad a hood hung over his head so the Ordonian couldn't see the sadness displayed on his face, even though the one before him was filled with sorrow. "While you're there… tell them – tell everyone… that I'm safe…"

The messenger slowly nodded in reply, fully realizing that this was goodbye.

"Thank you Colin. I'm glad I got to see you again… and take good care of Epona. I know you two work well together," Link spoke, voice on the verge of shaking as he offered a sorrowful smile from beneath his veil, not knowing if Colin could see it or not cloaked in shadow from the hood. Saying farewell to the boy face-to-face was much harder than just leaving behind Hyrule like Link had done the day the Mirror shattered. He didn't know if he would ever see Colin again, just as he didn't then. But unlike that time, Link had a chance to confront him, not make a split second decision that had ended up causing so much trouble for everyone dear to him. He understood the longer he made this, the more painful it would be and was glad that Colin seemed to understand that based on his reaction.

"Thank you Link," the boy said, trying his best to not show emotion, face displaying pain and sadness anyway as he attempted to hold back tears while he slowly turned away from the group and approached Epona, not giving his savior even a hug farewell, as he was too fearful that would hurt him. Colin didn't want Link to know he was shaking and almost felt as if the royals and savior could see that he was, as the messenger climbed atop the mare then looked sorrowfully to the three he had escorted. The boy thought of happier things to not look so hurt as he slowly drew his gaze away from them and silently set off towards Ordon.

"Poor kid," Midna spoke solemnly after he had disappeared and the sound of hooves faded. She wanted to say something to change the mood, but the Twili was still trying to come up with a way to break the ice between herself and Link once more. As much as she wanted to console the boy before he left, she couldn't spare the effort to do so, too concentrated on trying to figure out the one she thought she knew. He seemed like a completely different person now. That didn't matter though. The Princess still cared for him, and possibly even more so than ever thanks to how concerned she was for Link regarding the unknown that he had endured. The Twili could tell that mentally he wasn't yet fully healed, even if physically he was doing better. Midna didn't know what hurt more: seeing his body pained, or knowing that emotionally he was still suffering.

They stood in silence for a time and while they waited, Link was realizing more and more how he was glad he didn't return to Ordon. Not just because of bringing Zelda back to her castle and keeping Midna hidden, but because he knew it would be so much harder on himself. Link already had much burdening him, and even if it was selfish, he didn't want more. As if reading his thoughts, Zelda spoke, interrupting the quiet birdsong of Faron Woods.

"What you are doing is right. I am sorry about you not returning to Ordon, Link, but it would complicate matters more so than they need to be."

He nodded silently in reply as he stifled the tears that threatened to fall. Link had far too much on his mind and Zelda had known that, reinforcing his notion and making him feel better about the fact so it wouldn't hurt him. Link let the subject drop from his consciousness and focused on more sensitive ones at the moment as he looked to the ground. His thoughts were momentarily broken by the door to Coro's hut closing. The merchant had gone inside, leaving the group alone.

They continued to wait for Telma in the silence, and after a time the Twili spoke, breaking the almost awkward quiet they shared.

"So," Midna began but didn't continue. She'd only said a few words since Link had awoken. The Princess was full of questions, but unable to ask any for fear of making things more difficult. She had been thinking over everything and what to say to start figuring out what Link had gone through and why he suddenly seemed so distant from her. She suspected that the choice he faced had hurt him in some way, and that had hurt her, to see the one she loved like that.

Midna wondered why he had chosen to be a Sheikah. The Princess knew that was what Link was now upon seeing his eyes. She had understood that because of Zelda's words prior to Link's decision, as well as his current condition, what had happened in the Sacred Grove had to do with what he was. He couldn't go on suffering as he had been, and Zelda said right before he began the ordeal that Link would choose a path and what wasn't wanted would be cast out. He had abandoned his Hylian self and taken up being one of the Shadow Folk. Was it because he felt he owed his parents something in order to mend the bond between the Hylians and their guardians? There were so few of the tribe left, so did he think that by becoming one there was a greater chance of somehow fixing the broken past that plagued him?

Midna looked up from her feet as she shook free the many questions that crawled around in her mind, noticing that Zelda and Link now seemed to be staring at her from beneath their veils. The Princess had forgotten she had begun to speak, and embarrassment from her unfinished actions took hold of her.

"Never mind… It's nothing. At least not right now," the Twili mumbled.

Zelda sighed at Midna's words and the others brought their gazes to her. The Hylian was tired of seeing them like this. She had misinterpreted where their relationship was, thinking that they already knew more about the other. She expected that they would after what they had already gone through: Link chasing after the Twili and leaving his world to be by her side, Midna doing a same in a sense with accompanying him to Hyrule. But where the two really were currently held many risks for them in what was to come, and the Princess of Light was so very thankful that they made it this far already. Though she had to take some action before too much time progressed, distancing them more. The Hylian royal thought over anything she could possibly do to help her friends. A moment passed and she spoke.

"The two of you have internal struggles you must bring forward. Please, see that you are paining one another. You have to start somewhere in mending what you had before. Decide by tonight or I will be forced to intervene," Zelda stated abruptly, not yet knowing what she would do. This caught both Midna and Link off guard. The once-Hero feared that the Hylian somehow knew something about himself that he hadn't yet discovered. She had deduced much from so little and after what he had seen in the test, he understood he was closely bound to Zelda in a past life. Link had a feeling she could tell he loved Midna in this one.

The Twili bit the inside of her lip. She was well aware that Zelda knew exactly where their relationship was and feared that the Light ruler would do something Midna didn't want her to. The Twilight Princess had to take a step soon, desperately wishing for the right moment to appear quickly.

The familiar sound of the carriage broke the thoughts of the ones waiting and they brought their attention to Telma as the cart approached. As she neared, the woman looked over the shrouded three while she spoke.

"Colin told me you're better," she directed to Link, who subtly nodded after a short delay. "So back to the castle then?" the Resistance leader asked, bringing the wagon to a stop in the open area near Coro's hut. Although the horse that drew the cart had stilled, the sound of hooves was still present. From behind the wagon, Colin on Epona came into sight. Link gasped, not expecting to see the boy again.

"I'm sorry Link, but I didn't tell them you're safe when I was there. If I did, they wouldn't have let me leave again without seeing you. I'll let everyone know not to worry about you when I get back," he said before anyone had a chance to speak, explaining his presence as he brought the mare near that of the cart.

"You're coming?" Link questioned, shocked, confused and the slightest bit relieved.

"Yes. I'm going with you back to Castle Town. I need to get a few more supplies, some stuff we lost on the way here when we were attacked, and I at least want to see you on your way…" he didn't say that he might never see Link again but knew that was the most likely possibility. Colin had a feeling his role model would go back to where he had been in the Twilight Realm this past year. He wanted Link to be happy, and Colin had begun to wonder if the Twili and he were more than just friends, as they seemed to show sincere worry towards one another, but that could simply be from Link's condition.

"Thank you…" Link drifted, eyes still not visible but sorrow obvious from the way his voice shook the slightest.

The others began to board the carriage during the conversation between the two, and Link joined them a moment later, still carefully concealing himself beneath the fabric, thinking once more about Zelda's words and those of what he was told in the Sacred Grove.

* * *

They rode for some time, Telma explaining what she had done in Ordon and lightening the mood with her small talk, much to everyone's silent thanks. The pub owner didn't ask what had gone on deep within the woods, and knew it wasn't her place to question it. She sensed that something had made the three much more tense, and it was obvious Link and Midna had suddenly become different.

Colin rode nearby to the wagon, keeping a watch out and simultaneously listening in on Telma's tales, occasionally saying a thing or two and explaining some of what had come to pass in the boy's home place over the previous year. At some point the Resistance leader dropped the topic of her stories and spoke to Link.

"We're out of range of anyone from Ordon seeing you. No one will recognize you hun. Feel free to take off your cloak."

"Not now," he replied quietly.

"Is everything okay?" the bartended asked over her shoulder, glancing at Link with a raised eyebrow and a curious yet concerned mind. The royals stared at him in silence.

"I'll… tell you all tonight," Link decided, averting his gaze from those who bore their uncomfortable sight into him, even though he knew they couldn't see his face with the veil hanging over his head.

* * *

Since much of the day had been spent in the Sacred Grove and woods nearby, or in Telma's case, Ordon, the group only managed to get midway through Hyrule Field before they had to set up camp for the night. They sat around a small fire, just having finished eating as they talked more; lighthearted stories of incidents at Telma's bar had brought everyone to a better mood. Somehow the woman was able to ease the tension they all shared, and Zelda was quite thankful for that, understanding it would make what she told Link and Midna earlier an easier task for them to accomplish.

Link was still cloaked, and Midna looked to him as he sat next to her, staring intently at the fire.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked. The other three were to wrapped up in a conversation of their own to notice Midna's quite question directed at the used to be Hero. Link slowly drew his sight from the mesmerizing flames and weakly smiled at her, the lower half of his face visible from the light of the campfire before them. His eyes remained cloaked in shadow from the hood, but she still saw the redness in them glow the slightest bit, and it wasn't just a reflection of the fire.

"Yeah. Sorry I haven't said much. I just…" Link didn't exactly know where to begin and once more let his gaze be drawn to the reds and oranges of the flickering flames before them. He had promised everyone earlier that he would explain, even if it were only a little, but now he was stalling because… He didn't know why, but Link just felt uneasy for some reason. He tried not letting that show though as he spoke. "I'm feeling pretty good now. Just… I know there is a lot I need to say, but I don't know how to start."

"Link, you know you can tell me. Whatever you had to go through…" her voice drifted while the Twili's brow twisted in worry. "I don't like seeing you this way."

Link inwardly cringed. He knew that because he didn't like to see Midna hiding her own fears, just as she had done not long after they entered the Twilight Realm. He remembered how she had asked if he missed Hyrule and how the thought of him wanting to go back seemed to have hurt her. At that time he couldn't believe he had felt so carefree and close to the Princess. What had happened to separate them like this? Was it because he was afraid of who he was now? How he had become different and the knowledge he carried regarding that?

Questions bombarded his mind yet Link simply wanted to forget it all. He wished to go back to how their relationship was like before the event in the Twilight Realm. Maybe then with the pain undone, he and Midna could start anew. As of now though, that seemed impossible.

"Link…" Zelda's voice drifted. The Twili and he looked up to the Hylian Princess, noticing the others in the group were silent and focused on the two. Link took a deep breath, realizing that it was time. He knew that now he had to tell the truth as he promised – to all of them – expose his secrets just as the Hero's Shade had told him he needed to do. Link understood that this would be a good place to start, as Midna's tension seemed to have waned some from Telma's jokes. Eventually he broke the stillness, pulling back the hood to show his eyes, which stared at the fire that matched his gaze.

"I'm… a Sheikah."

The group looked at him, Midna and Zelda calmer than the others from already knowing, but there was still a tense quiet in the air that could be cut with a knife thanks to Colin and Telma's stiffness and shock.

Until now the realization hadn't quite hit home. Only after saying the words aloud did Link understand that showing the truth felt good in a way, but at the same time, he didn't want to do so. For himself and everyone else to see what he was hiding again, that he abandoned the person everyone thought Link was, running away from his duty as a Hero so he could cling to a sliver of hope that he may be given a lengthy unbroken happiness, just as his father did, or attempted to do. Just as the past Hero did… but Link in this life would be different. At least he hoped, yet he still didn't understand just exactly what he was hoping for.

It seemed that the Interloper had been right and the Hero's Shade wrong. Link would never be able to attain true satisfaction, as he was pained again and again in different ways. The cycle would repeat itself, from one event to the next, because not only did he have the burden of the truth of who he was weighing down on him, there was also the truth of what he felt towards Midna.

Even after all this – especially after all this, he couldn't tell her that just yet. Link was afraid to. He didn't want to hear Midna's response… her words confirming what the Interloper had told him.

 _"You're nothing but a lost wolf taken in out of pity."_

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry if this chapter is unsatisfactory and I hate how inconsistent my writing style is. D: The next one is going to be quite long, and I'm actually pretty excited for it. I can also guarantee you'll like it more than this one. ;)**


	19. Carpe Noctem

**Chapter Nineteen**

 _Carpe Noctem  
_ "Seize the Night"

* * *

"Link…" Midna drifted. Although her tension had eased some, it seemed to take its tight hold once more with the tense silence that followed his words. The Princess swallowed, finally breaking the quiet and now feeling prepared to speak what had been on her mind since he had awoken in the Grove. "Did you choose to be a Sheikah to fulfill your parents wish?"

"…Yes. In a way at least," he replied warily, eyes not meeting hers. The newly become Sheikah was still lost on how to go about doing that. It was something he had to figure out on his own. At least according to the Hero's Shade.

"What…" Colin drifted, the gazes of the others settling on him as the boy intently stared at the redness in Link's eyes. "Is a Sheikah?"

"I see that it cannot be kept in the shadows forever. The truth must meet the light now, I suppose," Zelda spoke with a sigh, knowing this was the right time to reveal the details of a past long kept concealed from the public. "I told you of the Twili, but their full history is much more crucial to Hyrule than the secrecy it has been given. Listen carefully…"

* * *

Everything about the hidden past had now been exposed. The Interloper War, the creation of the Mirror, and the truth behind the Twili as well as their origins as Sheikah had all fully come to light before the fire.

"So the Twili aren't just another race from another kingdom… They are, or rather were, from Hyrule and really that close to the Royal Family?" Telma asked in shock. She was struggling to wrap her head around the idea and felt as if speaking it aloud would help her come to terms with everything that had been explained.

"Yes. Feel free to think on all of this overnight. I understand that knowing the full truth now is hard," Zelda stated, turning to Link and Midna. The Princess knew she needed to wrap things up for the evening, her explanation going on far longer than she had hoped. It seemed she always had difficulty gauging the time her words would take. "So, your decision?" The Hylian asked, eyes gliding over the only non-Hylians in the group as she referred to the two mending their relationship.

Link swallowed anxiously. He almost forgot about that and didn't really know _what_ to do. He'd revealed that he was a Sheikah and now noticed that Zelda's gaze was boring strictly into Midna. The Princess hadn't directed her question to him.

The royals looked intently at one another, neither of them speaking and the air about them stiff. Midna knew that in a way Zelda could tell the Twili's decision without the need for words. She could see that in the Hylian's face and was glad Zelda had pulled the wrap away from her mouth during the history lesson; light from the dimming fire gracing her features and illuminating them in the otherwise dark surroundings.

"I see," Zelda eventually said, breaking the stillness. Midna smiled a bit nervously, letting out a breath that was just barely audible to Link who sat next to her. The expression on the face of the Twilight Princess wasn't entirely true, but when Link saw it, he was a little surprised nonetheless. He couldn't remember the last time Midna had given that look, not realizing just how much he missed it even though it wasn't genuine. The Sheikah was confused from what had played out before him, the royals seemingly having read the other's mind simply from a stare.

"It's getting late. We need to come up with plans for tonight," Telma spoke with a sigh, snapping everyone back to reality. "All this knowledge had made me tired."

"I'll take watch," Link stated before anyone else could, shoving his bewilderment over the actions of the royals to the back of his mind. He could think on that later.

"Link, you've ju—" Colin spoke up and tried to talk him out of it, but was quickly silenced.

"It's fine. This is the least I could do after putting all of you through so much trouble. I'm doing much better and I'm sorry that I've acted so strange since I finished what I needed to do in the forest…" the Sheikah drifted for a moment, but quickly snapped himself back to present. "If there are any problems or I get tired, I'll wake you. Please, don't worry," he explained, realizing this was the most he had said since waking from the trial. Link felt he owed everyone for what he'd put them through and this seemed like the quickest way to show that, using a lighter tone than he had when speaking earlier.

"It's alright Colin. I'm going to stay up as well," Midna added in a voice that almost seemed the slightest bit happy. Her words startled Link and he looked to her curiously for a split second before speaking.

"Midna, you need rest. I know you've been worrying about me," he told her, wishing for the Princess to relax. Link wanted some alone time too and he saw how tense and concerned she was for him the moment the once-Hero awoke as a Sheikah. It was true that the Twili had calmed some since then, but he still knew she had to be exhausted from worry. Link felt terrible for causing her to deal with that pain.

"I guess," the Princess said with a yawn after a brief silence. It was a sound Link was familiar with from their journey together during the time twilight covered Hyrule. Whenever he was in wolf form and had been wandering around aimlessly for some time yet refused to ask for her help, she'd make a bigger deal out of it than necessary, stretching her arms above her head and yawning overly exaggerated.

The Twili turned to the others once she finished the action. "If Link is taking watch, what are the arrangements for the night?"

"Have the carriage. I can sleep on the ground. There isn't enough room in there for all of us anyway," Telma explained.

"No, you can have it. I'm used to the smell of Hyrule Field grass in my face."

"Are you quite sure Midna?" Zelda spoke up.

"Yes! Yes, stop worrying about me. Isn't Link the one we should be freaking out over?" the Twilight Princess said in exasperation. She didn't like the attention being focused on her and almost wished once more for the tense silence from earlier.

"Quiet!" Telma shouted aggressively. The four froze, staring at her wide-eyed, as they hadn't expected the sudden outburst. The Resistance leader closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to calm herself, realizing what she had done. After a short while she looked at each member of the group with the words she proceeded to speak. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired after all of this. None of us are going to get any sleep if we keep arguing and I'm sure all of us are in desperate need of the rest."

The others slowly exchanged silent glances, expressions unreadable or otherwise tired. They then turned back to Telma and nodded, and a moment later everyone stood from where they sat around the now frail campfire and silently walked to their destinations. Colin was the only one who spoke during their preparations.

"I'll take the next watch. Come wake me when you're ready, Link," he told the Sheikah. The boy knew it would be difficult to fall asleep with everything on his mind from what he had been told, still trying to wrap his head around and figure out all that was said from the last explanation. The Ordonian realized that was likely the real reason Link insisted on taking watch duty, as he too obviously had much on his mind, even if it was different than Colin's thoughts.

The Sheikah nodded in reply, watching as the others made their way towards the carriage. After he was sure they had settled, Link took a short walk from the campsite, but made sure to stay close enough to defend it if necessary. At the moment he just needed to be away from others, so he headed to the small bridge that spanned the nearby shallow lake. Once he had come to stop almost but not quite at the center of the wooden structure, he stretched his arms over his head, in the process reaching for the pinpricks of light from the stars above. He let his limbs fall limply to his sides when he finished the action, and a moment later Link sat on the bridge with his legs hanging over the edge as he admired the view of Hyrule cloaked in its natural darkness.

The slightest sliver of moon from the other night was the teeniest bit wider now and a copy of it reflected in the water below. From here Link would have a view of all around. Now nothing could sneak up on their group and the Sheikah doubted the bandits would come back so soon after what he and the others put them through. Link had almost forgotten about them considering all that had happened in such a short amount of time, but he remembered with a quiet and distant call of a wolf. He knew that he would be alert while on watch. It seemed that now he was a full Sheikah, Link didn't have to put any effort at all into focusing his attention. It was something that just came naturally to him.

Once the cry of the beast faded there was a calming and peaceful near silence that hung in the air; the occasional chirps of insects and the popping coals of the fire the sole sounds that broke the stillness. It seemed that everyone had settled in and fallen asleep quickly from all the recent stress they endured, and the only thing that kept the new Sheikah some company was the slowly dying fire nearby.

His peace and aloneness finally gave Link some time to reflect on everything that had come to pass. Brushing aside the heaver things he had encountered in his trial, the once-Hero thought back on his initial journey with Midna. Something he hadn't had the time to contemplate since the night he had fallen ill.

In all honesty, he never expected to live this long. Early on after he'd taken up the duty of the Hero, Link had thought that one day he would fall in battle. The current Sheikah realized this wasn't a very positive way of thinking, especially since the fate of two kingdoms hung in the balance, but it was still something that hovered on the edge of his mind throughout his travels. At that point his own wants and needs had become nonexistent. All that mattered was returning peace to the lands. During that time, he figured if he did somehow happen to survive, then he would find a nice little corner of Hyrule to live in peace, away from all the troubles he had faced. Instead, almost the exact opposite seemed to happen.

The last thing Link had expected was to fall in love.

The Sheikah let out a sigh and shook his head with a weak smile. Great Golden Goddesses, why did he have to fall in love with a _princess_ _from another world_ of all the possible people? It only complicated every matter, and Link needed to come up with a plan on how he would explain everything. He saw what he had said earlier regarding why he took up being a Sheikah somewhat relieved Midna, but he needed to tell her the full reason. Now that he thought on it, Link was beginning to wonder more about Zelda and Midna's stare-off just before he volunteered to take watch. They couldn't have just communicated by looking at each other, or maybe they could. Zelda did seem to have an odd power in a sense, allowing her to surmise much from a single look. Link still wondered what the two of them could have silently understood of the other.

He took a deep breath, face becoming serious once more at the thought of it all. A moment later his ear twitched, catching the sound of someone from the camp approaching.

"Hey," Midna spoke, interrupting his thoughts. Link jolted, turning to face the Twili that came up to him from behind. Even with his new heightened Sheikah senses, Link wasn't yet used to them, and although he was aware that someone from their camp was coming, he didn't expect it to be her of all people.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked somewhat worried as he looked to the Princess while she walked up to him. Link wanted to continue his thoughts alone and was both confused and concerned by the recent actions of the royal. A moment later she sat down on the edge of the bridge next to Link, legs dangling below just as his were. Knowing there was no way to stop the simple events playing out in front of him, he let go of what was on his mind, shifting his focus to what was right before him here and now.

"Hmm… shouldn't you be guarding our little camp?" she spoke, using a tone she hadn't for so long. It felt so right and the Twili didn't realize that she had missed it so much. Midna knew what she would do tonight unless she wanted Zelda to do _something_ to their relationship. Still, the Princess was nervous and thought trying to lighten the mood would make it all much easier.

Link blinked, a bit shocked by how peppy she seemed, even if it was really mild in comparison to what their exchanges were like in the past. He paused briefly but played along, only now realizing just how much better her words made him feel.

"I _am_ thank you very much. Anyway, why are you awake? Couldn't sleep?"

"No," she replied, leaving it at that for a few moments and only continuing with the croak of a frog that hid somewhere beneath the bridge. "I… wanted to talk," Midna spoke nervously, not entirely sure where to start.

Link now understood her earlier actions. She'd planned this with Zelda.

"Anything in particular on your mind?" The Sheikah questioned. Midna stayed silent, bringing her eyes from the hands in her lap to look off into the distance. Link followed her gaze. Nothing was in sight. He was half tempted to look back at the Princess, admiring the way the moonlight glowed on her blue tinged skin, but Link didn't want her to catch him staring so he only offered her a sidelong glance.

They sat in the quiet for quite a while now. Neither seemed to care though; simply enjoying the company of the other. It was something they hadn't really done since before all this began. The weakened fire from the nearby campsite cracked as a log shifted. The heightened senses of the Sheikah caught the sound with his pointed ear; the tip of which twitched the slightest, like that of a wolf's, in response to the noise.

"Link…" Midna drifted. She hoped he didn't hear the uncertainty in her voice. The Sheikah turned his head to look at her with the words of the Princess. "Now that we came back to Hyrule…"

He waited in silence for her to continue. Midna spoke once more, turning her own head towards his as she displayed an expression that held the tiniest hint of sorrow.

"I know this is your homeland, and ever since we got here I could tell that you've been missing it, but once we find out how to get back to the Twilight Realm… would you… come with me?" She asked nervously, eyes darting away from his for a moment as she hesitated.

They were silent for a second or so, the question hovering in the air around them. The coals of the fire snapped, breaking the stillness the two shared. Link's face softened.

"Yeah… I will. Another reason I chose to be a Sheikah in this life is because I knew I couldn't survive in the Twilight Realm as a Hylian," he spoke, exposing one truth. It felt right, and Link couldn't help but let the corners of his lips turn up the slightest bit in a smile. Somehow, this was the happiest he had had been since it all began. Maybe once they got back to her world, then the Sheikah would tell the Twili what he really felt. When they were finally free of worries again, but…

Link drew his gaze from hers, expression becoming solemn as he looked into the night, actuality stinging. There was still a lot for him to do. He had to put his happiness later, if he ever hoped to even gain it. Although he wasn't the Hero any longer, Link still had other duties.

Midna had drawn her gaze away from his a moment before Link had done so. She was in a way, surprised by his answer. The Princess had hoped that's what he would say, and now that the two of them knew, it seemed the tension between them had begun to dissolve. She was glad, as it would make all of this much easier. The Twili took a deep breath to speak, neither of them looking at the other, as the words she spoke came out much more serious than she wanted them to be.

"The stress between us since you went through that at the Sacred Grove… Can we stop clinging to it like a bad thing?" Midna looked to him, her face unreadable. Link wasn't fully aware that was how she saw it. "I know it's only been half a day really, but I don't like it. I want to make sure we don't act this way towards one another again, that's all. It's been bugging me. Ever since you came out of what you faced back there, you've just been so different. I know you're a Sheikah now, but that doesn't mean you have to be a completely new person. Please, just be yourself and how you were before. I thought it would be all over once we were done there…" the Princess drifted, hoping it didn't sound like she was ranting.

Link was quiet for a little while, thinking over what she had said. He felt the same way in a sense, yet something was still not right, and he knew it would never be unless he was able to put everything to rest.

"Yeah. I'm sorry Midna. I didn't want to scare you with all I went through. I… It was like when I told you in the Twilight Realm about the pain I suffered and that of my past. I saw it hurt you so this time around I've been thinking on how to find a way to explain it so it wasn't painful…" he drifted, biting his lip for a moment with the thought of everything that still needed to be done. "Thanks Midna," he said in a quiet monotone voice, not explaining anything else. They were both silent for a few seconds after his words and Midna smiled a bit, trying to keep the mood lighter.

"So, are we good now?"

The Sheikah returned the smile after a second or so of hesitation, yet the expression wasn't fully truthful. "I'd say we're as good as we could be. For now at least." Thoughts of the Hero's Shade and the Interloper surfaced in his mind. The harshest of which felt like a blade to his side. Talking with Midna this way made him happy. He knew that one day he wanted to be much closer to her than this still somewhat tense friendship they had only just recently obtained once more, but at the same time saw that he may very well couldn't be the one she would share her life with, her kingdom coming first, just as it should. For now though, Link would embrace what they had.

After their brief discussion, Midna felt a bit better. Of course she knew the history of the Twili, as did Link, so neither of them were affected by what was told to Colin and Telma. The way the two of them spoke to each other just now… it felt a bit like old times. The royal would make sure that it got better from here on out.

The Twilight Princess turned and stared out into the darkness of Hyrule's night. She would seize the moment they had here, now that the mood was probably the lightest it would be for quite some time. She was nervous, but needed to say what she felt. Midna took a deep breath, letting out an exaggerated sigh and turning to Link. With her movements, he met her gaze. She bit her lip, closing her eyes then opening them once more, her heart rate increasing simply with the thought of the words she would tell him; the words she hoped he would return. Link gave her a concerned and confused expression in response to the almost flustered one she had given him.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, she spoke.

"Oh Goddesses… Link, I love you. _I love you_! There, I said it." Midna's eyes began to water, but it wasn't from sadness. She was happy. So very, incredibly, happy. Of course it came out almost the exact opposite of how she had planned and seen it play out in her mind. Midna's attempt to stay composed and bring up the statement as one of her quips to make the atmosphere cheerful went drastically awry. That didn't matter to her now though. After speaking, she felt greatly relieved, even if Link didn't feel the same way and just wanted to be friends instead. She eagerly waited for whatever he would tell her; desperately hoping that this wouldn't distance them, him denying even friendship between the two after hearing her deeper feelings she still feared he wouldn't accept.

The Sheikah was staring at her in shock, mouth hanging open while his breath was caught in his throat and bright red eyes wide, but his expression softened after a short while and Link took a moment or so to calm his racing heart with a few deep inhales. He'd never expected her to be the one to say something of that matter. Link almost felt dizzy from his mind spinning over the statement he was told. The Sheikah had been so focused on himself and what to do as to not hurt others that he hadn't noticed just how much they cared for _him_. He vaguely felt that she maybe held something for the one who had saved the Princess's world, but wasn't able to confirm it in any way. The kiss she gave the Sheikah in the Twilight Realm… Link saw that merely as a friendly, and possibly teasing, action to make him feel better, since he desperately hoped she might have silently known he felt something for her, even if it wasn't completely obvious. At the time he didn't want to speak and was unable say anything then as well because of his own fears and surprise.

The Sheikah's sight drifted from the Twili, knowing that she didn't want him to see her like this, although she was happy and his brain wasn't even processing what his eyes saw of her otherworldly features. Midna didn't look at Link either as the two of them stared off into the distance of the night.

Link's thoughts raced as he tried to find _something_ to say to her. A time of silence passed between them and neither could tell how long it lasted. The Sheikah's gaze eventually went back to that of the Princess, who now hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin atop them. He desperately wanted to tell her the same, but something was preventing him from forming the words. Link forced himself to calm his mind and thought on it a bit, realizing he didn't want their conversation to be somber just as she probably did as well. Instead of keeping the mood like it had been for much of the time, he resorted to what Midna most likely would have done if their positions were reversed and none of this strain was put upon them. Even if it would only last a moment, he went back to how they were before this new journey of theirs.

"Is the Princess of Twilight really crying over something so trivial?" Link knew it was far from trivial but couldn't help and say so to playfully contradict the fact. She drew her arm across her face, wiping away the glistening water with a smile. Other than the single drop of precious liquid she had summoned to shatter the Mirror, Link had never seen tears from the Twili, but was glad that they were of happiness and not sorrow. Yet he was almost sad to see her rid of the droplets that glowed like the silver pinpricks from the sky above, their beauty reminding him of the moment that caused him to desperately cling to her.

"Shut up, or do you want me to turn you into a wolf?" Midna asked, looking at him with an accusing yet playful glare, eyes bright in the otherwise dim night. Link smiled in response to her expression. Conversations like these are what she enjoyed so much from their bond before, even if the words themselves weren't the kindest.

"I'd howl at the moon if you did. It's too beautiful of a night not to," he replied, looking up to the stars that shone down from above; afraid that if he gazed at her any longer, Link wouldn't be able to draw his sight from the Princess bathed in moonlight, she possibly feeling awkward from the stare.

Midna followed his eyes for a moment, quickly becoming bored with the scenery and instead returning her gaze to Link's strange but now considered normal irises. The red in them reflected the light of the tiny sliver of moon above the two. A moment later her sight traveled from his eyes to one of his blue earrings that glinted in the low light. From there her gaze made its way along his jawline, crossing along the now less black and more bluish lines that had plagued Link during his struggle. Eventually it settled on the Sheikah's lips that were curved up the slightest in a smile. They were so close, with him being a Sheikah now and this stress between them melting away in the faint moonlight…

Somewhere in the distance a real wolf howled. Link looked to Midna, tilting his head up the slightest to meet her irises that glowed like the embers of the almost dead fire at their campsite.

"You see? They're asking for me to join," he joked at her silence and she couldn't help but continue to play along with his words.

"No, they're wondering why you aren't a wolf," she lightly punched him in the shoulder, reinforcing her point that he wasn't a furred beast. This is exactly how it should be between them. Like it had been before all the sadness and pain wormed its way into their lives once again.

"Then turn me into one, if you dare," Link responded with a grin, his pointed canine sticking out the slightest over the edge of his lip, just like Midna's had done when she was an imp. Somehow the words he spoke felt so right.

At that moment a gust of wind streamed past the two, blowing Link's pointed hat in front of his face and obscuring Midna's view of the Sheikah she loved.

"Ugh! Stupid windsock!" the Twili exclaimed with irritation, grabbing it from his head and aggressively pulling the cap away from his hair. Link reactively reached for his scalp and placed his palms where up until a moment ago the hat had resided. Midna held the fabric in one hand as she stared at it. She couldn't believe she'd actually used it as a sleeping bag of sorts on occasion during their journey when she possessed her cursed impish body. The two of them had changed so much, both in physical appearance and emotional devotion. They were finally beginning to understand one another.

Link slowly pulled his hands away, looking to his iconic cap and then meeting her eyes as the Princess drew her gaze from the green garment.

"Wow, I feel insulted, right to my very soul nonetheless. Do you have any idea how long I've been wearing this outfit? Since the beginning of time," he spoke, only to have a bit of a harsher truth attempt to latch itself onto him. He pushed it aside for the moment. Link wouldn't let anything come in the way of the playful happiness that they shared right now.

"Exactly. Those dusty old clothes aren't quite your style anymore. They don't go with your… _unique_ eyes. Twili robes are _much_ more fitting," Midna smirked with her taunt.

"Really now? And where do you suppose we'll get some Twili robes in the middle of Hyrule? Are you going to pull them out of a little pocket of twilight?"

The Princess couldn't think of a good comeback, resorting to an insult as not to admit her loss.

"Shut up."

Her words satisfied the Sheikah, knowing he had won this time. Games like these were something he had missed so dearly. He decided to continue, rubbing his victory in her face.

"And how exactly are you going to make me do that? I'll just howl to the moon if you turn me into a wolf, and even though I didn't say all that much on our journey, I can talk your ear off here and now just to annoy you. I won't shut up _that_ easily," he spoke with a satisfactory smile, leaning forward so their faces were mere inches away. Link felt that he actually _could_ talk nonstop, at least right now. Of course he wouldn't expose all of his truths at once, knowing it would pain them both, but Link could at least speak to her normally and make up for his recent silence.

"Really now? Are you sure about that?" She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow doubtfully, bringing her own face the slightest bit closer to his and hoping he couldn't see her nervousness at what she was about to do.

"Yeah, I'm positive. Let's see, now where should I start?" he began, gaze drifting from hers to travel across the face of the Twili; admiring the way her fiery hair framed it, pointing towards her cheeks while the rest was bound behind her. For a moment his sight hovered at the long lashes of her eyes and then moved on towards her plump purple lips once he noticed she had blinked. Link wondered if he saw the corner of her mouth twitch as he thought back to their journey to save the two worlds and nothing of the pain they had suffered that started this new adventure of theirs. Link smiled as a happier memory came to mind, meeting her eyes once more before he spoke. "How about the time—"

At that moment the Twili pressed her lips to his, before Link had a chance to object to her actions.

 _That_ made him shut up.

He was stiff for a moment or two, heart racing and strange eyes wide as the Princess of Twilight kissed her hero, even if he no longer was known as one. Quickly though he relaxed, savoring every bit of what she offered and embracing it. When he was younger and well before he even dreamed that his destiny would be this great, Link had always wondered about fairy tales and what it would be like to kiss a princess – or really anyone for that matter. Now he knew, and it was better than anything he could have ever imagined.

Meanwhile Midna internally questioned why she had waited this long. Over a year now she had wanted this between them, and from the fact that Link hadn't pushed away, she could tell he was at least accepting of her actions. The Princess let her thoughts drift, allowing herself to be absorbed in the moment.

The wolf that had howled not long ago took up its call once more. Another joined the first; the beasts echoed each other as the two shared their long sought-after affection beneath the moonlight. They gently pulled back as the cries of the wild canines drifted, gazes locking and red of the irises drawn to those of the other.

"Midna…" Link swallowed. His heart was pounding, as was hers. The rush of adrenaline from the action was different than that of what he was used to in battle. It was much more satisfying, with a touch of sweetness to it as well. Once more the Sheikah was at a loss for words. All bad thoughts were no longer present in his mind as he focused on what he had before him and what they had done just moments ago, still trying to wrap his head around it all. Link set his hand on the elbow that had been wounded when they tumbled into her realm together, memories of what had come to pass and their slowly growing bond from the moment they met sped through his mind.

So much had happened to them – and between them – since the Princess in the body of a little imp confronted the then Hero as a fabled yet imprisoned beast. He had been caged up like a dog, and she acted as his master. Now they were equals – almost. Link's eyes focused on her. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, and after what she had done he'd finally found the courage necessary. Link didn't need to wait to tell Midna. The Sheikah could do that now.

"I love you too." Something about saying those words aloud suddenly made Link more confident when it came to the matter. Now he felt he could show his feelings without worry.

"Why was that so hard for you to say? You'd kissed me," the Princess responded playfully.

"Well you were the one who initiated it, not that I'm complaining," he rebutted, now a bit more composed than not long ago. It felt good to speak to her like this again, now that he'd admitted what he'd felt; everything seemed so easy and natural. This was how it was meant to be.

Midna grinned in response to his words. What he said had been true.

Link smiled in return to her joyous expression, his pointed tooth glinting brightly as it caught some light from the moon reflecting in the water below them. He got an idea, proceeding to lean his head back and take a deep breath as he prepared to let out a howl of satisfaction to join that of the wolves' calls that the beasts had taken up once more.

"Shh! You'll wake everyone!" Midna said, realization of what he was about to do coming to mind just in time. Immediately she clamped her hand over his mouth and her eyes darted towards the campsite a little ways away. He hadn't even had the chance to begin releasing the cry.

"Mffnff!"

"What?" she asked, still holding her palm over his mouth as the Sheikah stared at her with wide, shocked eyes. "Princess got your tongue?" she joked, displaying a grin.

He nipped her hand, the sharp canine of his causing the Twili to immediately release her grip. The bite wasn't enough to draw blood, or even hurt for that matter. Instead the action was more of a playful warning than anything.

"Goddesses Midna," Link took a deep breath. "You need to learn not to suffocate people. This is the second time you've tried to kill me that way," he spoke; remembering when she'd crushed him in an embrace the morning after his illness struck. With that thought came another. He was better now, but…

"I could suffocate you in another way if you want," the Princess said temptingly, interrupting his thoughts and placing her fingers on the underside of Link's chin to gently direct his face towards hers as she displayed an enticing smile.

"I'm not sure what to say to that," he responded, gaze darting from her lips to her eyes as his mouth curved into a grin.

"Ugh, you don't need to _say_ anything you idiot. Just kiss me, damn it."

With those words the Princess of Twilight pulled the face of the Sheikah close, their mouths meeting once more. This time the wolves didn't howl, or maybe they did. Midna didn't hear them either way, being too wrapped up in the moment between herself and her hero.

Link returned what she offered, this time expecting it. He wished to simply lose himself in the woman that held him, but the Sheikah's senses caught the sound of a stick breaking. He wanted to ignore it, only paying mind to the Princess before him, but it was his duty to guard the campsite. He put his wants second, taking up his role as protector and reluctantly drawing back from Midna, who looked at the Sheikah concerned. Link's gaze went past her to settle on that of the young Ordonian who approached from the shadows of a tree behind the Twili. The boy that had escorted them came to a stop at the end of the bridge, looking to the two who sat a couple of meters away.

"C-Colin," Link stuttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed as he brought his hand to his face, holding the back of it across his mouth in an attempt to hide the rosy glow of his cheeks from his bashfulness. The Sheikah wondered just how much the kid had seen.

"I thought I heard something a minute or so ago, but it looks like everything's fine," the boy spoke, feigning innocence to what he had witnessed.

"Yes, all is well. Thank you for your concern," Midna replied placidly, looking over her shoulder to Colin as she was still mostly turned towards Link.

"Want me to take over watch now?"

"No thank you. I was actually just coming to take Link's duty. It seemed he started to doze off," the Twili said, easily covering up the truth just as she had done many times in the past.

"I see," Colin spoke cryptically. He'd seen through their ruse and had finally confirmed his suspicions about the two. It wasn't uncommon that his parents would share a kiss when they thought that they were alone. Now he knew that the Sheikah would be happy and Colin could say goodbye confidently when the time to do so came. Of course he would miss Link, but also knew that his savior would now get what he deserved after his struggles: someone that understood and cared for him – no matter who or what he was.

"Goodnight," the boy spoke, turning a moment later to walk away and leave the two solely in the company of the other. The eyes of the Sheikah and Twili met once again after the Ordonian disappeared into the darkness and sounds of his footsteps vanished as he settled in to sleep once more.

"What? Are you embarrassed?" Midna joked with a tilt of her head and a smile.

"Shut up," Link replied, tips of his pointed ears hot from his sheepishness, as was his face that was undeniably red, even with the lack of light. "You seemed to handle that _too_ well," the Sheikah sneered, but not unkindly.

"I _do_ happen to be a Princess just in case you forgot. I'm used to being composed in the most dramatic of situations," Midna said, siting up straighter and holding her head high as she looked down to Link. He stifled a small laugh as he spoke.

"You completely lost it when you first admitted your feelings. Did you seriously forget that already?"

"And _you_ were a little insecure puppy," she quickly retorted, knowing her words would sting a bit but not be too painful. "What's up with that?"

"I'm not really sure… character flaw of mine?" Link shrugged, not meeting her eyes for a moment and brushing aside the comment. He lifted his gaze to hers after he had taken a breath; sight once more traveling over the Twili as he admired the way the silver of the night glow complimented her skin. "Anyway, when it's us alone though…" he drifted, reaching up to place a hand on her cheek, "I'm more than okay with it," Link smiled, drawing the Princess close for another kiss, wanting more to make up for not doing this earlier. Midna hesitated just the slightest, and he noticed, pulling back before their lips met.

"Link…" the Twili's voice faded into the night as her gaze drifted to the water below the bridge, moon reflecting in the shallow pool. His face displayed worry at her sudden change to seriousness and he drew his hand from her cheek. "When we get back to the Twilight Realm…" Midna didn't know how to phrase her thoughts. After her actions, even though he'd more than agreed with them, the Princess realized that what she would speak just might be too stressful at this time. She felt stupid for even _thinking_ of bringing it up, Hyrule not being the right place to address it anyway. Getting home was still a matter they needed to tackle. The Twili closed her eyes and spoke quietly. "…Never mind."

"Is something the matter?" Link asked concerned. He was worried. The Sheikah enjoyed what they shared here and didn't want to let it go, but at the same time he knew he couldn't have it all. This was the most he could get as of now, still needing to do more before he even had the chance of grasping the happiness with her that he desperately wanted but was still afraid he might never obtain.

After a moment Midna put on a smile and brought her sight to that of his, looking at the now confused face of the one that was so very joyful only a short while ago.

"It's nothing. Now, I think it's about time you get some rest. I'll take watch from here and wake the kid when I'm done. Colin will be a bit suspicious if he comes across the two of us again."

The Twili had a point. Link nodded, almost reluctantly pushing himself off the wooden bridge and into a standing position.

"Oh, and you can have this back," she said, tossing him the green hat. Link snatched it out of the air. He had completely forgotten about it during their exchange. "Sleep well," Midna smiled. He nodded, squeezing the fabric of his cap as he turned to leave, letting the Princess take over guard duty as she watched him go.

The Sheikah silently returned to the campsite, his mind frantic over what the two of them had said and done, swearing he could still feel the warmth of her lips on his. Link knew he needed rest, but was unable to fall asleep with the recent events flying about in his head. He sensed Midna felt the same way, unable to be calm. That's probably why she'd offered to take watch. Link wondered why she brought up her world only to dismiss the thought, but he felt he might have understood the reasoning. The once great Hero of Twilight himself still had something to tell her that he hadn't mentioned along with the admittance of their feelings.

After all that, Link wanted to keep the biggest thing a secret so they would have some peace, yet at the same time he knew keeping it hidden forever wasn't right and would only lead to more unavoidable pain and suffering, her possibly even hating him because of it. So one day he had to do the right thing, just as he had always done during his time as the Hero.

Link only wished that it would lead to happiness and not sorrow like that of his previous duty had.

* * *

 **A/N: Is a 7,500+ word romance chapter sappy enough? xD I kinda wanted to write something cheesy, so… yeah. Anyway, sorry if it had a bit of a slow start, but I was trying to build up to the big moment. I needed to give them at least some happiness after all they've been though! (Plus the corniest first kiss scene ever. xD)**


	20. Graviora Manent

**Chapter Twenty**

 _Graviora Manent  
_ "Heavier Things Remain"

* * *

Everyone seemed to be a bit more relaxed by morning, the tension of the previous few days' events were almost like a dream in a way. Now they rode to Castle Town in peace, Link and Midna putting their cloaks on as they neared the center of Hyrule.

Their journey was uneventful, exactly as Link had thought it would be since they had frightened the bandits away on their travel to the Sacred Grove. The Sheikah still felt uneasy about them though, considering Zelda's words when they had first encountered the marauding group. He wondered where they could be currently hiding out.

"This is the furthest I can take you all," Telma spoke, bringing the carriage to a halt outside of the gates to Castle Town. "I'm glad that it seems everything is right again," the pub owner said as her passengers began to disembark. She looked to Link, who in return gazed back, red eyes hidden in the shadow of the hood. "I didn't like seeing you suffer hun," she said with a pained smile.

"Thanks for everything Telma," he replied. "Sorry about all the trouble."

"Don't mention it. After what you've done, and the history of the Sheikah… well, it's complicated and I know it's really none of my business to get mixed up further in these matters as of now. I'm glad I got to know about it all, but I think I'll just stick to being the owner of Castle Town's only bar. I should be the one thanking you, really. Without your sacrifices, I don't think any of us would be alive," the Resistance leader glanced over her shoulder, nodding towards the assorted travelers. She looked back at Link a moment later. "Anyway, feel free to drop by the bar whenever. You know I'll be there," she winked. The Sheikah nodded, signaling his gratitude before turning to the others as the woman set off with the carriage back the way they came in preparation to return to her establishment.

Once she had disappeared from sight, Colin tied Epona to a post outside of the town, joining the rest of the group as they entered the hub of Hyrule cloaked. At the central square they stopped; Link finally getting a good look around, since the last time they passed through these streets on the way to Telma's he had been too unwell to really notice everything.

"So," Colin began. Link shook his head, snapping himself back to attention. The plaza was almost overwhelming now; the sounds, sights, and smells on the verge of being too much with his improved senses. "I'm going to go get what I need then head back to Ordon."

Link looked at the boy sadly, knowing that this truly was going to be his final goodbye. He quickly leaned over, pulling the kid into an abrupt embrace. Colin was stiff with shock, but after a moment or so passed he tentatively wrapped his arms around his friend. The Sheikah was well aware that the action would only make parting ways more painful, but didn't want himself or the Ordonian to regret not doing so upon later reflection.

Midna and Zelda watched from nearby, now sitting on the edge of the fountain in the center of the plaza. The two knew this was a moment they couldn't interfere in, having no bond with the messenger like Link did. The Twilight Princess gazed at them sorrowfully, realizing just how selfish she had been when asking if Link would go with her back to the Twilight Realm. She was well aware that he might never be able to come here ever again, and Midna began to wonder if what she had asked of him the previous night was right.

"Goodbye… and be safe," Link quietly spoke into the ear of the Ordonian. The Sheikah hoped the one who would take his place in the village couldn't hear the slight shaking of his voice.

"I know you'll be happy now, Link. Don't worry about me. I'll make sure everyone back at the village knows you're well…" Colin drifted for a moment, taking another breath before continuing quieter than he spoke moments ago. "…And that you've found someone to spend your life with."

Link inhaled sharply at the boy's words, but quickly relaxed. He was glad Colin spoke softly and the din of the market square made it so only Link could hear what was said. After a pause the Sheikah broke the stillness between the two.

"Thank you… I-I feel terrible for leaving you all behind. I'm so selfish…" Link's voice faded, face pained at his own words and glad the boy couldn't see his expression thanks to the embrace. After a few moments Colin pulled away, sorrowfully looking up to the Sheikah who had quickly managed to compose himself; putting on a stone mask of emotionless features to cover the twisted dejection beneath. He didn't wish for the boy to have to see his role model broken in these last moments.

"No, I think I understand. About you and Midna I mean. I'm too young to really know since I haven't found anyone who I feel that way towards, but I can tell you two are close and want to be together. If she's really the leader of the Twilight Realm like what was explained last night… well, she can't just leave that behind."

Link attempted a half-hearted and almost ironic smile, remembering how she willingly left her kingdom to aid him. The look slipped from his face a moment later.

"I… we all have to make sacrifices or take risks at times, and I get that. Besides, Ordon has done really well this past year. It… took the village a little while to adjust to your absence, but everything is fine. After all you've been through… I can't imagine what it would be like trying to go back to village life again. You need something new… I'll never forget you Link…" Colin's eyes began to water as he struggled to keep his voice from shaking. "Thank you for everything… and goodbye," he spoke, abruptly turning away from his savior and quickly disappearing into the crowds of the market.

Link gasped, reaching out and unconsciously taking a few steps forward as he attempted to focus solely on finding the Ordonian who vanished far to fast. The Sheikah was only snapped out of his trance when someone in the busy square bumped into him. Bringing his arm to his side once more, Link slowly turned back to the royals, expression yet again burdened with emotion but still mostly concealed by the hood he wore. The Sheikah didn't have the chance to tell Colin that he feared he might never be completely free of worry and pain. But maybe that was something best not to say.

The Twili's face reflected the emotions Link's held upon witnessing the events that played out before her, but she immediately plastered on a smile and positive attitude from beneath her mantle; faking cheerfulness to keep the mood light. She hoped that no one would see through the façade, concerned about how the mood so abruptly went downhill.

"So back to the castle?" Midna questioned. "I don't know about you, but I can't stand these crowds." She stood, Zelda following her action with the words of the Twili.

"Yes," the Hylian in disguise spoke almost solemnly. "There is still much to do."

* * *

Upon entering the palace, Zelda instructed the two to follow her and the group immediately went for a meal in the dining hall, waiting at a table not long before food was quickly prepared and brought out. Zelda had removed her headgear and the scarf from around her neck, wishing to return to her familiar attire but knowing that could wait while they came up with a plan. There was something that needed to be brought up and discussed.

"I will address the issue of the bandits with the council soon, but first there are other matters to attend to," the Princess said as their meal was being served. She instructed the servants to not disturb them during their feast before turning back to the others and continuing. "I know you must return to your world at some point, hopefully soon, yet you have not directly addressed how you are to go about doing that. I believe you do not wish to face it because the magic that brought you here has yet to regain enough power to return, and you do not know when it will." Zelda spoke to the other Princess; knowing she had been right from the silence the Twili gave her, showing no intention of replying to the words of the Hylian as Midna took a bite of her food.

"I see then," Zelda spoke with a terse nod.

Link hadn't realized how hungry he was until he began to eat and was quickly inhaling what he had been given, watching the two royals discuss the matter. The Sheikah knew that he didn't have a place in this conversation from his lack of knowledge on magic, even if he had figured out matters involving Zant's use of the ancient power. Link listened carefully nonetheless, far to busy at the moment with his meal of light world delicacies. Some of which he hadn't ever eaten, even though he had lived in Hyrule for the majority of his life. Nonetheless, the Sheikah enjoyed the meal greatly thanks to his hunger.

After a few more moments Midna spoke.

"Yes, the Fused Shadows will take time to regain their magic, and… you're right," Midna sighed, staring at her food. Link seemed to like it, but the Twili wasn't sure if she did, much preferring the familiar cuisine of her realm. "I don't know how long that will be."

"I am not by any means encouraging you to leave quickly. You are welcome to stay in Hyrule Castle as long as necessary. I do understand though, Midna," the Hylian paused and the Twili looked up from her plate to meet the genuinely concerned gaze of the other Princess. "When the twilight was covering my kingdom, I wanted to return to my people… but with my blessing, I remained as I am now and did not become a spirit. I had no way of telling them I was safe and well. I see that is what you are currently going through now that Link is physically healed once again."

Midna smiled sadly and looked to the Sheikah, who was just finishing his food that had been far too quickly devoured. She regretted not being wiser and thinking over everything in more depth before leaving her world with him. Midna realized it was the same problem Link had faced when he clung to her the day she shattered the Mirror. The Princess knew her people were kind and they understood she would return, just as she had with Link after everything regarding Zant and Ganondorf was over. But that wasn't the end. In reality, it was only the beginning of a new and personal struggle. One that she realized was so very selfish. She felt terrible for everything she had done and was in a way blinded by her concern for the one she loved.

Zelda took note of Midna's distress, realizing that the Twili wished to relax and have some time to think at peace. After all that they had gone through the Hylian understood; deciding to wrap up their meal, as it seemed Midna didn't wish to eat more and Link having consumed his fill.

"Your chambers from the other night should be prepared for you once more. I made sure of it before our departure. I assume you remember where they are or would you like an escort?"

Midna turned to Link after Zelda finished her words and she noticed the Sheikah staring at his plate, brow furrowed as if in thought. Suddenly, the expression of the Twili became worried at the sight of Link's unexpected change in mood. Or maybe he hadn't changed mood from since they entered the palace, still torn up over the events that had taken place in the market square.

"Actually," Link spoke up. The two looked to him, listening to the first words the Sheikah spoke since their meal began. "Would it be possible if I could have a separate room?" he asked nervously, staring at the reflection of his own face in the cleaned plate before him. After last night and Colin's departure, the Sheikah needed moment to himself so he could reflect on all that had come to pass. In addition to that, he never did get to finish his thoughts alone the other night. Link needed more time, and didn't know just how much. He hoped the others would respect that.

Zelda looked to the Twili with curiosity, wondering if the other Princess hadn't kept her promise to mend what had been broken between them. The Light ruler could see it in Midna's face that she was just as confused and worried by his words and actions as she was. Link continued to speak, looking at the two briefly. They returned their attention to the Sheikah once more.

"I… need some alone time. After all that's happened…" he drifted, eyes not meeting the gazes of the rulers. Midna realized that Link's goodbye to Colin must have hurt him more so than he was letting on.

"Yes, if that is what you wish," Zelda spoke, frantically thinking over the meaning behind Link's words. She had hoped that yesterday's events would have solved the troubles between the two, but she should have known better. It couldn't be that simple – it never was. "I will have someone escort you to your new rooms."

* * *

Not much time passed before a couple of guards guided the now once more cloaked Sheikah and Twili away, leaving Zelda alone in the dinning hall after she had said her goodbyes. The Princess sighed. At least there would be some time for them to possibly understand each other once more before she brought up her own ideas and input over their return. The Hylian did have another matter to address now before she could be at peace and help them.

* * *

Guided by escorts to their new chambers, they walked the halls in silence. Midna turned to Link and spoke from beneath her hood after a few moments of quiet she found awkward.

"Are you okay, Link?" the Twili asked, concerned about his earlier request. He had seemed so much better after they had opened up the other night and now Midna was worried again. He'd gone back to being distant in a way, even after he said he wouldn't act so strange around her again.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry if I worried you Midna, but after everything I went though… I just need a bit of time to think it all over," he explained just as he had not long ago, without looking at her once more. Midna was silent for a moment, displaying a sorrowful expression that she knew he wouldn't see from the way he hung his head.

"Okay, I understand. Sorry if I'm acting a little paranoid. I'm just concerned and you know you can talk to me about it. Whenever you are ready to that is," she replied, wording her thoughts in a way that she knew wouldn't force him to immediately tell her, but letting Link know she wished to at least try and understand everything. Midna was well aware that it would take time.

"Miss," one of the guards spoke. Midna and Link looked to him from beneath their veils. "We have arrived at your chambers."

"Thank you," she replied, taking a step towards the door the guard had opened for her. Midna stood in the doorway and looked to the Sheikah with only a half-hearted smile. "See you later, Link," she spoke before closing the wooden panel behind herself. The Princess waited until she couldn't hear the footsteps of the others before taking off her cloak and flopping onto the bed, letting out a sigh.

Midna thought back to Link's actions as they were eating their meal earlier. She began to wonder about why it was then and there he suddenly started to seem a bit distant again. Colin's departure alone wouldn't have placed a wedge between Link and her regarding their relationship.

In her head, the Twili replayed the brief conversation they had while they were eating and realized that the last time her realm was brought up was when she had confessed to Link. Midna wondered if what she said by mentioning her kingdom and dismissing the thought could have created unintended repercussions about Link's feelings towards her and that of the royal's world. The Princess regretted not finishing her words, but also realized that if she had, then things most likely would have gotten more stressed between them. If worse came to worse, Link might even back out on his agreement to go with her to the Twili's world; fearing what her words would mean for his life and just how much it would change. Not bringing it up in the first place and instead waiting would have been best for both of them.

The Twili sat up, thinking back on everything that the two of them had gone through since the moment of their first meeting and that of her actions towards Link ever since then. She recalled the times her feelings slowly began to become something more. The moment it all changed? Midna couldn't place it; the single action or event that caused her to feel for him in a way, that made the two of them in her mind, so much more than just accomplices.

No, it wasn't one thing. It was a collection of many; the struggles they shared and how they had one another's back. During their travels she slowly began to expose her past and knew at that time the two of them couldn't be together, he from another world than she. That's why the Princess tried her best not to be nice, to not bond with him in more than just a necessary and mutual relationship.

Somehow though… he'd still managed to capture her heart, and she, his, it seemed.

The Twili had seen it on his face, how he didn't like her upon their first meeting and continued to hate her as their travels progressed. Over time the Princess had begun to notice that he seemed to be more and more willing to help her. No, she didn't see him _liking_ her during that time. She saw him doing it all because Link understood the sooner everything was back to normal, the sooner he could return to his life before he met her, and never again have to be bothered by the commanding little imp.

Though no matter what he felt then, she knew what he held towards her now, and the Princess hoped they could have a future. Together.

"I just want him to be happy, but every single thing I've ever done has only hurt him!" she aggressively pounded her fist into the pillow next to her. The Twili turned her gaze towards the object and grabbed it, wrapping her arms around the fluffy cushion and holding it against her chest. After a moment she let herself flop back onto the bed once more, staring at the ceiling above.

"I'm an idiot," Midna mumbled into the pillow.

* * *

"This will be your residence. Do you need anything?" the guard that escorted him asked Link. They had continued on in silence a short distance after leaving Midna and the Sheikah wondered what she would do now. It felt so strange in a way without her by his side.

"Thank you, and…" he drifted, looking down at his cloaked self; the fabric of his hood sliding further over the Sheikah's face. He brought his gaze back up to the soldier but knew the man couldn't see his eyes in the shadow of the cloth. "A change of clothes if at all possible."

The guard that escorted him bowed his head the slightest and turned on his heel. Link watched as he went. As soon as the man was out of sight, the Sheikah entered his room and quietly closed the door. Even though he was better, Link felt so very tired. He pulled off his cloak, letting it fall to the floor as he looked over himself; still garbed in the clothes of the Hero he once was. A moment later he made his way towards the bay window, curtains drawn back as they let the warm sun of Hyrule filter into the room.

The Sheikah let out a sigh, sitting on the platform beneath the glass panes and leaning against a pillow while he looked out over the market square far below. Link drew his gaze from the colorful and bright outdoors beyond, lifting his hand and inspecting the markings along his skin. He was simultaneously glad and a bit disappointed he didn't bring his full attire, leaving behind not only the gauntlets and chainmail as to not be burdened by their weight, but also the pouches and other supplies. A moment later his concentration went back to the lines on his skin. They weren't as dark black, yet they hadn't seemed to recede at all. Instead, their coloring had just slowly begun to fade and now they looked the slightest bit bluer than the deep darkness they had originally been. The Sheikah wondered if they would ever completely go away, but at this point didn't really care. He already had many battle scars from his journey. He wouldn't mind a few more.

Link silently reached his arm out, palm open, towards the lands in the distance and far past that of the confines of his room. His sight traveled along the gradually fading markings that painfully reminded him of what he had gone through. In a sense they really _were_ more battle scars, even if the fight was different and in a way, still not over. The Sheikah closed his fist, muscles contracting and causing the lines to darken the slightest.

He let himself slide down until he was lying atop the wooden bench, looking up at the ceiling, arm still extended outward at a ninety degree angle from his body. A moment later he brought the appendage towards himself, resting it across his eyes and remembering. Link knew for sure now that Midna loved him, but also understood part what the Interloper told him in his trial remained a truth until something – anything – could prove otherwise.

 _"She's royalty Link, and what are you?"_

Nothing. That's what he is, and especially so now.

She wouldn't choose him for a long-term commitment, her kingdom coming first. Link knew he couldn't interfere in that, getting his satisfaction at the cost of others. No matter how much he wished to attain it. He couldn't go down that path in this life.

From all this came at least one positive thing, and that was Link knew the Princess cared for him deeply. At the same time though, that almost seemed to hurt Link even more than if it had never been spoken. He felt terrible for keeping his distance from the Twili again so suddenly, but… he would do what he could to make her happy. It would just take time before Link summoned the courage to face her with all the truths he held in his hand. In the meantime he couldn't be anymore selfish than he had been, so he had to be cautious as he took steps to do what he was still destined to accomplish.

The Sheikah slid his arm aside and looked up at the ceiling. After a moment he then rolled onto his side, away from the window. The light of Hyrule was a reminder of what he was giving up in his frail hope regarding what has yet to come from all this. He couldn't face that right now in addition to everything else.

Link gazed to his shadow that was cast by the glow streaming in from behind him; making the Sheikah recall the twilight figure with kind and concerned eyes that looked back at him the moment this struggle of his had fully begun.

How he wished the two of them could be like that once more, simply close by the side of the other and for the most part, free of worries. Link reached out, resting his hand on the floor where the silhouette cast by the Sheikah from the light was outlined; almost wishing the little deep grey yet transparent hand from their initial journey together would reach out of the shadow and kindly hold his own.

Even though Link knew he was the one intentionally putting some space between them, he was hurt by his own actions. The Sheikah had to find a balance; fixing what was broken in the past here and now that he was in the present. Link knew he would be able to fulfill his parents' final wish now that he was in Hyrule, yet he still didn't understand _what_ he needed to do to make that a reality. He thought that being alone would give him time to think on this free of distractions, but no matter what, his mind still wasn't calm as Link looked to the space before him.

It was so… empty without her, exactly as his heart was.

* * *

 **A/N: Twilight Princess HD…**  
 **TWILIGHT PRINCESS HD!**  
 **It's happening people. Just… I can't even express my excitement! Anyway, I didn't get to edit this chapter as much as I had wished thanks to the fact I spent far too much time flipping out over the announcement of an HD remake for my all-time favorite video game. xD It couldn't have been coincidental that Nintendo decided to have a Direct that opened with the reveal of TPHD _exactly one week before the game's ninth anniversary._**


	21. Circulus Vitiosus, Circulus Virtuosus

**Chapter Twenty-One**

 _Circulus Vitiosus, Circulus Virtuosus  
_ "Vicious Circle, Virtuous Circle"

* * *

She was running.

Midna didn't know when she had begun to sprint, or why her long strides were carrying her through a twilight-colored void, but her legs didn't seem to want to obey her mind at the moment – or her body for that matter. The Princess felt fatigued; almost as if the soles of her bare feet were bleeding out all her energy, draining her beyond the physical limits of her true form and with no end in sight as to what she could only see as torture.

Abruptly the Twili came to a stop before a deep black wall of sorts in the otherwise calming glow around her. She looked upon the veil that seemed to stretch for infinity in all directions; wondering how and why it was this moment that she had halted and a blockade of darkness appeared before her. The royal was breathing heavily as she attempted to catch her breath; lungs hungry for air from the exertion she thought would never cease but was eternally thankful when it had.

She stared at the darkness, unnerved by its presence and the fact it seemed to close in on her, yet she knew neither she nor it were moving in the silence as twilight particles slowly drifted upward around her. Without warning a voice came from beyond the shadowy curtain that threatened to fall about the Twili's figure and consume her.

"Hello, Midna."

The Princess squinted her fiery eyes in a vain attempt to see the one that spoke almost sinisterly; tone hateful and mocking with obvious ill intent.

"You're early. I hadn't expected that, but I can see it as a nice surprise! Hmm… I will be kind and give you something to think on until a later time. Of course, only if you wish to do so."

Footsteps on what sounded like stone echoed in the otherwise silent emptiness, and the Princess could tell whoever hid beyond the darkness was approaching. She tensed, sensing as if they would pass through the screen before her and suddenly attack. Instead they abruptly stopped and the Twili briefly caught sight of the robes worn by the one behind the shroud of blackness. They were familiar. For a moment Midna thought it was her cloak that she had given to Link, yet knew it couldn't be, as the garment was slightly different and not as much resembling Twili attire but somehow what she thought would be native to the world of Light. The royal inhaled sharply when she swore she might have even caught the gaze of a tearless eye staring at her from the cloth.

"When the time comes, what will you do, _Twilight Princess_?"

* * *

Midna awoke sweaty and panting, abruptly sitting upright as her red eyes snapped open to be greeted by the painfully bright radiance from the sun of Hyrule that streamed through the windows of her chambers. She squeezed her lids shut a moment later, taking deep breaths to calm herself and think on the words the one in the blackness spoke as she struggled to say something to settle her own nerves.

"It was just… a dream…"

* * *

When Link woke up he wasn't feeling all too well. It's not as if his emotional pains were hurting him as much as they were the previous night, as the Sheikah had forced himself to set aside the heavier thoughts to get some sleep, which had quickly overcome him thanks to exhaustion. Instead his current unease was of the physical nature. Upon waking, he looked to the lines on his skin. They had become much lighter and could be mistaken for his real veins other than the fact they turned at unnaturally sharp angles. In addition to that his whole body felt sore and slightly bruised, but that may be in part because he never moved to the bed and spent the night on the wooden bench beneath the window of his room.

After changing into the simple trainee knight's tunic that the guard had left outside his door upon Link's request, he headed down the halls towards the dinning area that he and the royals ate in the previous night. Before their departure to their rooms, Zelda had informed Link and Midna to meet her over breakfast. The Sheikah didn't bother to hide his eyes now, as the Hylian had told him the day before while waiting for the escorts to their chambers that no one in the castle would think otherwise of his strange irises; thanks to the fact that many foreigners of different ethnicities were currently guests in the palace for diplomatic matters. He decided to wait until today to show that though, not wanting to worry Midna with his expression of seriousness he hid beneath the hood he wore the past night.

Now that Hyrule was saved and back to normal, trade with other countries and kingdoms was commonplace once more. Link remembered how the Princess of Light explained about many tourists flocking to the new attractions of Hyrule and the bandits were taking advantage of this. Something about all of it was still bothering him, but the Sheikah couldn't place why; being far too distracted by more personal problems, as he spent every free moment thinking over all he had faced just recently.

Midna appeared to be in deep thought when he approached, but the Twili abruptly looked up to see Link making his way towards the table in the dinning hall. The Sheikah noticed the Princess still wore her cloak and assumed it was because of her even more drastic appearance than his. Now that he thought on it, the royal Hylian's instruction on looks was directed solely to Link and not intended for Midna to take heed of. The native of the Light realm hoped that the Twili wasn't uncomfortable in any way; still having to hide and not knowing for how much longer she would be concealed behind a veil similar to what Zelda wore upon the then-Hero's first meeting with the Light ruler.

"Hey, how did you sleep?" the Princess asked neutrally as Link pulled out a chair.

"Good enough. And you?" for the briefest moment he considered telling her he didn't feel entirely well, but quickly decided against it. She didn't need to know that, and wasn't sure how to tell the Twili anyway.

"That's good. Well, I'll say the beds here aren't the same as the ones in the Twilight Realm, but it's not like we have much choice, do we?" she smiled mildly, memories of her nightmare coming to mind. Midna tried her best to keep the mood cheerful with her statement, but something just still didn't feel right between herself and Link, in addition to her frightful panic she had experienced less than an hour ago upon waking. Before the Twili could think on any of it in more depth, the Hylian ruler entered the room, back in her formal robes of before their journey.

"I hope everything has been well," Zelda spoke, taking a seat at the table.

"Yes," Midna said tersely to quickly move the imminent conversation in the direction she wished. "But I do want to go back to my realm soon. As you said last night Zelda, I fear for leaving my people and wish to return. It's my fault for not thinking all this through," Midna spoke, brushing aside all other thoughts at this moment and instead recalling not just their previous discussion, but also her own internal struggles that regarded Link before she had drifted off into a fitful slumber.

"Midna," the Sheikah spoke. Almost wishing to say something but not knowing how, or what, to speak for that matter. The Princess turned to him with the call of her name. He took a breath, organizing his mind as Link brought to the table a topic from the discussion his listened in on the previous night. "I understand you don't know how long until the magic the Fused Shadows is replenished enough to go back, but do you at least now how much they have right now?"

The royal looked to him in silence for a moment before focusing her attention on the subject of his words and summoning the relics; letting them hover about her form. Just as the night before, Zelda had instructed the servants and guards to not disturb them so they were free of worry from anyone overseeing the ancient power at this time. Midna closed her eyes and focused, brow furrowing at her intense concentration. She sighed after a few moments and once more hid the magic.

"They've regained enough for matters such as warping around Hyrule like I had done during the battle with Ganondorf, but they're far from strong enough to create another temporary portal back to the Twilight Realm."

"I see…" Zelda spoke. Link noticed from her expression that the Light Princess seemed to be in deep thought. After a moment or so her eyes focused and she turned the conversation in another direction. "After I saw you off I met with a select few of my council and have discussed the matter of the bandits with them. Search parties have set out and we hope to finally find and capture the group within a few days or so," Zelda explained.

"That's good news. After all the trouble Link and I went to in making sure this kingdom was free of misfortune I was a bit upset to see you already had more problems after only a year," the Twili said in a way vaguely like her past jokes in hopes of eliciting a smile from one of the others at the table. Even though things were far less stressful, everyone still seemed to be much more serious than Midna wanted. It angered her the slightest; especially with the tension from all on her mind, but she tried not to let that get to her in addition to the dream that hovered in the back of her head like dark clouds.

"It seems nothing can attain true peace forever," the Hylian spoke in response, not consoled by the semi-playful statement of the Twilight Princess. "It is a cycle, just as all things are."

Link cringed at her words, but luckily it seemed none had noticed.

* * *

When they were done eating Zelda took her leave to attend to her royal duties, leaving Midna and Link alone. The Twili had much on her mind and wanted to somehow address the topic she was going to bring up the other night; finishing what she started and following through with it, or instead telling Link that he shouldn't worry about what she had said. Yet the Twili knew though that she couldn't do either, at least not at this time, so instead something else escaped her lips.

"I know you're going to miss Colin, and I'm sorry."

Link looked to her, startled by the sudden statement. He wasn't quite sure where it came from considering none of them spoke of the boy since his departure the day before. There was a pause between the two, silence filling the air for a short while before the Sheikah smiled sadly, beginning to speak tentatively.

"It's… not your fault, okay? I will miss him, but he told me… Colin said he's happy for me. I know he's going to miss me as well…" Link drifted, voice becoming quieter as he continued, "they all will… but at least they'll know I'm safe this time." The Sheikah's tone then returned to its normal volume, but his gaze didn't meet hers. "I want to go back with you because after everything we've gone through," Link hesitated, remembering their struggles. "I can't exactly picture how my life was before and as much as I love being in Hyrule, I just don't really belong here anymore. I know I'm more than welcome but I can't stay. Your world… I've come to really like it. Even if I can never come here again after the Fused Shadows regain their power enough to travel back, I think that maybe I've started to put my regrets of leaving Hyrule so suddenly to rest," Link explained partially, feeling fearful from his own statements. He was purposely vague with some of his wording, not realizing how hard it was to be open about it all. He wondered why everything became so much more difficult so suddenly. After his words though, he didn't feel as hurt as he had before he spoke.

Midna looked to him sadly. The Twili took a deep breath and sighed, standing from her seat.

"Well, see you around. I'm going to take a walk. The other night Zelda said no one will be in the west garden and I need some air. Her palace is far too stuffy for my tastes. I much prefer mine," she stretched her arms above her head; acting as if Link's words and actions didn't bother her in any way, even if deep down she was afraid.

The Sheikah stood with her and responded to the Princess.

"Yes, and enjoy your walk. I'm… going to my room again."

Midna paused, face the slightest bit sorrowful but she quickly put on a mild smile once more and turned to leave before he could see it fall from her face. Lightheartedness was something even the Twili was struggling to fake, even after all she had been able to twist into something else on their travels.

After she knew she was out of hearing range from the sensitive Sheikah, Midna mumbled to herself words she just as easily could have said in her mind yet wished to speak aloud to no one but herself, if only to get them off her heavy chest.

"I want everything be as it should, nothing blocking us from one another… Is that what the nightmare meant?" the Twili asked herself, quickly deciding that it couldn't be, as a dream was just a dream – nothing more. She wouldn't think on it any longer, and that would be best. The Princess felt that instead she should concentrate on Link. "Since we now know what the other feels, why is it so hard to show it?"

* * *

A few days had passed. The Twili and Sheikah still remained in a somewhat stressed friendliness; something Zelda had taken note of even with the now much busier schedule she had since they returned from their journey. The Princess had to make up for her absence and hadn't had the time to enjoy the company of the two since the discussion they held regarding Midna's Fused Shadows and their power. Occasionally the Hylian would catch a glimpse of Link or the cloaked Twili, but she didn't confront either, at least not yet. She wanted to see what they would do, but Zelda was getting to the point where she felt as if intervention was needed, and was trying to find a time to do so. Of course the Princess would spare a moment to speak with them if they wished now, but at this time she couldn't go out of her way to seek their open ears; forcing herself to hold off and let the two do what they thought was necessary as she addressed other matters.

Zelda was a bit frustrated at everything. Her search parties hadn't brought her any news regarding the bandits, and the Princess desperately wanted that matter to be solved before moving on to others.

"Zelda, do you have a moment?" Link asked, catching the Hylian as she walked the halls. The royal was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed him as she traversed her palace in concentrated silence.

"Yes, of course," the Princess spoke, showing nothing of her worry, although Link appeared to be distressed himself. He pulled something from behind his back and held it before him. Zelda's gaze went to Link's hands and what they grasped.

"I… don't deserve to wear this any longer," the Sheikah spoke nervously as he referred to the green tunic he held out to her. "I've abandoned that responsibility. I'm not the Hero anymore. I'm just a person, one who is running away from everything to try and grasp my own selfish happiness…" Link's sight went to the cloth he held as his voice faded.

"No, you are wrong."

He met her eyes, slight shock apparent on his face. Zelda smiled calmly and with the slightest bit of despondence. She hoped he would stop clinging to things such as this. The Princess knew it was partly that which caused the stress between him and Midna, but there were still greater forces at play.

"Link, know that even though you are not the Hero of this era any longer, your soul is still the same, and that is something that cannot be changed. You are far from selfish. You may have moved on from that duty as of now, but you most definitely have not abandoned it. Please think on this," Zelda spoke, kindly taking the ancient uniform from the now Sheikah but once Hero. With the action she gently gripped his hand, turning it to show the mark of the Triforce. "Within you are you. Do not doubt yourself or your worth. Your soul has such a unique value, and nothing can diminish that. Move forward with confidence, even if it may prove to be a narrow and difficult path to tread," she released his hand, letting Link glance at the mark on the back that had become the slightest bit fainter over the course of the short time since he awoke in the Grove. He met the eyes of the Princess with the words she continued to speak. "I see it has been difficult for you to confront me regarding this topic, it hurting as you shared your words, but in their wake, some pain has been relieved, has it not?"

Link looked at her, expression blank. He slowly nodded, amazed that the Princess was able to read so deeply into his introverted actions. Until now he hadn't realized just how much better it felt to be reassured, and he wouldn't have known if he hadn't taken the risk he did to expose that. The Sheikah was glad about his decision to finally confront the royal; taking a few days to muster the courage necessary after the quickly downward spiral he seemed to have fallen into. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be open…

"Thank you for entrusting this to me and do not pain your mind with thoughts such as ones you plague yourself with," Zelda spoke, breaking the trance she noticed Link had entered.

"I… thank you Zelda," he replied, at a loss of words. The Princess could tell he was relieved – even if it was just the slightest. She also noticed he was tired, not just from the fact the Sheikah spent most of his time in his room, but because of his demeanor. Luckily Link's physical appearance was slowly returning to normal. Zelda could hardly see the lines on his skin but they were still present. Of course his eyes would never again be blue, but that was how it was meant to be. He had chosen that option in this life after all.

Link nodded slightly after a moment of silence; turning from the Princess and walking away to leave Zelda on her own; letting the royal think over matters that concerned her.

As he made his way down the halls Link felt the slightest bit more confident yet he still wasn't free of worry; thoughts of what his darkness the Hero's Shade spoke hovered in his mind. For now he still avoided the topic of his relationship with Midna and instead tried his best to shift his concentration to that of his parents' wish. Link still didn't fully understand how he could mend the bond between the Hylians and Shadow Folk, but upon the feeling the relief of Zelda's words, his mind was the slightest bit clearer and Link came to the conclusion that his next step meant heading to the Hidden Village.

The Sheikah needed to see Impaz.

* * *

Midna had been spending most of her free time in the gardens of the west wing that Zelda had mentioned not long after their arrival at the castle. The Twili could tell Link didn't want to be with her right now, and was deeply confused by that. The Princess had tried to get him to talk by knocking on his door, yet he never answered no matter how often she tried. It frustrated her, and she had begun to wonder if he had been completely honest with everything he told the Princess. Midna knew that he still hadn't explained everything, and was afraid of what he was hiding.

A stick snapped and the Twili looked up, standing from the bench she sat at beneath an apple tree in order to greet the one who approached.

"I thought you were busy," Midna spoke to Zelda as the Hylian came to a stop before her.

"I am. The bandits are on the loose, you two need to find a way to return to your world, and…" the royal of the Light realm drifted, leaning over to pick up an apple from the grass. She turned it in her hand, inspecting the smooth surface only to come across a large bruise on the backside from where it had hit the ground. "Midna, there is still much between you and Link. It is there, even if it is hidden or being pushed aside in a way."

The Twili gritted her teeth.

"Are you saying I can't see that?! It's obvious to me! But he's not himself and it's not right! After all this, I thought things would be back to normal, but it's like they're almost worse. He's safe again, and I'm so, so happy about that… but I can tell that he isn't. What's wrong?!"

Zelda's sea blue eyes were wide, not expecting the Twilight Princess to snap.

"I'm sorry… I just want his happiness and in turn that would make me happy as well. But it's like we're afraid to make that happen. I don't understand it."

"I see. Thank you for sharing this with me Midna. I know it has been very hard between you and Link. The two of you have struggled and sacrificed much. It is difficult for me to see you like this and I wish for the best. Neither of you have done anything wrong. A change such as what the two of you are experiencing is normal, especially so considering the recent turmoil. Because of Link's actions you are not familiar with, you have been wavering between desperate concern and mild acceptance. You love him, and Link truly does know that. He just needs his space to come to terms with it all, and that is completely natural for him. Your unease that has only ever increased is making him more distant, yet I know the two of you want closeness."

"Why is he acting like that then? He said he loves me, but only after _I_ told him. If he really wants to be close, why can't he just be by my side… He struggled so much to let me know what he felt, and now with him acting like he is, that's making me doubt he really _wants_ to be with me." The Twili looked to the ground, lightly kicking a fallen apple under the nearby bench with her words. Zelda followed her sight, and the eyes of the two met as the Light Princess spoke.

"In part, it is your concern that drives him away. He wants more than anything to be happy with you, but for him to find how to do so… It is challenge."

"How can we then? How can we understand each other?" Midna asked, face full of dejection.

"It may be an uphill battle, but I sincerely wish the best for you two. After all that you have endured know that I am here to help. You don't deserve any more suffering; yet the pain won't go away until you two truly understand the needs of the other, and in turn that of your own; or perhaps, the other way around. It all depends on how you go about with sharing your truths."

"Then what… can be done?" the Twili let out a breath, trying to ease her own tension. Midna rubbed her temples, closing her eyes for a moment. Zelda smiled sorrowfully.

"You must give him the space he needs – at least partially, and I see you have done that the slightest; or have tried. You must let Link know that you are concerned for his wellbeing, but do not force closeness upon him as of now. He will open up at his own pace. In truth, I had a brief discussion with him not much time ago. He feels worthless, so I attempted to reassure him that his thoughts are false, but he needs to come and accept that on his own. I do not know how long it will take him to do so, but he must see that light. Link has much he is currently dealing with and wishes to distract himself with other thoughts and actions; putting your relationship on the sidelines until then. Let him take the time needed. Encourage him with subtle kindness. Only then once his struggles in this world are put to a rest can he begin to face those of his connection with you. From there, in turn you must tread carefully. If you wish, take what you see as a step forward. How Link reacts will vary greatly upon his state, and you may never know when the right time to make a move will be. There is always a risk in your actions. It may distance you more, and you know this, do you not?"

Midna looked to the Princess before her, processing the wise words she spoke. After a few moments of silence, which was broken by the chirping of a bird, the Twili replied.

"Yes, I do. That's why I'm afraid… so does that mean I have to let go?"

Zelda shook her head slightly; setting the damaged apple she had gripped through the conversation on the nearby bench.

"Do not let go completely or you may never find him again. Give him the support he needs by being just barely present, yet there if necessary. Now," Zelda took a deep breath, starting to hint at her future plans and prepare the other Princess for what she had in store. She reached for the tree branch above, gently plucking a fresh fruit from the bough.

"There are ups and downs in life – and love. You must understand that. There is a way that makes them easier to face, and it is essential, yet at the same time it may be painful," the Hylian spoke as she looked to the bright red apple she held.

"What do you mean?" Midna asked, wishing for anything that would help mend the bond between her and the one she loved.

"Tell me the difference between the apple I hold and the one on the bench," the Hylian royal instructed, turning the freshly picked fruit in her gloved hand.

Midna stared at the Princess, thoroughly lost by the sudden change in topic, but answered her query nonetheless.

"The one you're holding is fresh, but the one on the bench is bruised."

"Yes," Zelda spoke, leaving it at that.

"…Your point?" The Twili questioned, lifting an eyebrow in confusion as she glanced between the ripe and rotting fruits that matched her eyes.

"What would have happened to that apple if I had left it on the ground long enough? Or if this one was never picked?"

"How am I supposed to know? We don't have apples in the Twilight Realm!" Midna said, throwing up her arms in exasperation. She was tired of Zelda's cryptic words. This was getting them nowhere. The Twilight Princess expected further explanation – not a seemingly random quiz.

"Midna, you have seen this on your journey, I know you have. What would have eventually happened to either of these apples?" Zelda repeated. The royal of another world looked to the fruit, remembering when she and Link had come across apple trees on their travels and the first time the Princess in the body of an imp tasted the shining red food. She had seen Link silently picking a single fruit from the branches of a tree and biting into it. Midna had followed his action, taking one off the ground from where she hid in his shadow. Immediately after sinking her fang into it she had spit out the rotten apple in disgust, shrieking at Link and wondering how he enjoyed something that foul. The Hero at the time explained that the ones on the ground weren't good for people, but were for the tree.

"It would have one day rotted. Guays would eat the fruit and seeds, carrying them off, or the apple would have decomposed where it fell. Eventually the seeds would end up buried in the ground either way, and a new tree would grow," Midna eventually responded, calmest she had been since Zelda's approach as she recalled the same message that was given to her by Link.

"Exactly," the Hylian spoke, tossing the Twili the ripe apple she had picked only moments ago. Midna jumped as the fruit came arcing in the air towards her and clumsily caught it; not expecting the Princess to toss it to her. "It is a cycle, just like all things are. Think on what that means in the whole of things, and especially what each of these apples know about their condition and how they got to it."

Midna inspected the fresh fruit, turning it in her hand to make sure it was free of bruises or marks as she wondered why the Princess spoke of the apples as if they had a consciousness. After completing her examination and finding the bright red surface to be pure and free of defects, the Twili looked up. Zelda was nowhere to be seen.

With a sigh the Princess took a bite of the apple, savoring the sweetness the fruit held. She was still confused by what the Hylian had meant with her words and was somehow unable to shake the feeling it was all connected to her in a deeper way that she hadn't yet seen; similar to how her second mouthful of apple was unpleasant thanks to a bruise hidden beneath the skin.

* * *

 **A/N: Since it seems multiple people have expressed confusion regarding Link's shift of attitude in the previous chapter compared with his display in chapter 19, I'll do a little clarification. I don't want to go into too much depth and spoil anything though! xD**

 **In one of my classes this semester I've been researching Adult Attachment Theory and thought I could apply what I've learned to this story. I decided on Link's attachment style as being relatively Fearful-Avoidant. It is one of the less (if not least) common styles. To summarize, when a Fearful-Avoidant is confronted with significant actions (positive or negative) from those they care for, they will go into a state of reclusiveness to cope, all while dealing with doubt and distracting themselves with other issues. In Link's case, all that happened over the course of the previous day or so proved to be too much for him to handle at the time, even when trying to accept it all (and pretending that he did), so instead he retreated. The amount of impact that "triggers" a Fearful-Avoidant to, well, avoid varies greatly.**

 **Many people find the actions of Fearful-Avoidants confusing and counter-productive, especially so because they truly do want to have deep romantic connections. For Fearful-Avoidants, this contradiction is normal, yet may seem unexpected and spontaneous to those who do not have the same attachment style.**

 **As for Midna… I don't want to mention her style because if you know about the workings of the theory, then you'll probably see what will be happening through the next few chapters.**

 **Anyway, I hope that makes a bit of sense and I'm sorry about the confusion. With that out of the way, I just had to include something about apples because of Zelda U. Deep apple analogy and life lesson, don't fail me now! xD (Don't think _too_ much into it though… Or I guess you can. I don't care. :P)**


	22. Quod Perlit, Perlit aut non

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

 _Quod Perlit, Perlit… aut non  
_ "What is Gone is Gone… or Not"

* * *

Zelda wondered if her discussion from the other day with Midna had any effect on the Twili. She hadn't seen the Princess since then, but it was understandable. The Hylian royal had spent all of her time from that encounter meeting with dignities and members of her court. All the relations had gone superb and it seemed she was finally coming close to putting the last piece in the puzzle of Midna and Link's relationship. The last thing she could do for them, that is. They had to find the right places for the remaining pieces themselves and the Princess knew that wouldn't be fully possible until matters in her own realm were put to rest.

The ruler of the Light Realm turned a corner, heading down the hall that Link's room was in. She didn't necessarily need to take this path, but thought that she might discuss the matter of the bandits with Link on her way to the royal's other destinations for the day. The Sheikah had explored Hyrule thoroughly during his time as Hero and may have insight as to where the hideout of the outlaws could be, or possibly lend his assistance in other ways.

Zelda was distressed over the matter of the rouges and it was the only thing preventing her from helping the Twili and Sheikah. She wished to dedicate all her attention to assisting them, knowing it would benefit her kingdom as well. The sooner the problem with the bandits was solved, the better for everyone.

After taking a few steps down the passage Link's chambers resided in, the Princess came to a halt at the sight of Midna standing before the Sheikah's room. The Twili hadn't noticed the Hylian just yet as she reached out to knock on the door. Midna paused with her fist mere centimeters from the wooden panel but pulled her hand back a moment later. Zelda watched in silence as the other Princess then proceeded to pull out an apple from beneath her shall and place it at the base of the door. As she stood upright again, Midna's eye caught that of Zelda's and she immediately turned, starting to walk away.

"Midna," the Light Princess spoke quietly, only for the Twili's steps to become faster. Zelda followed after her but soon slowed as she came to where the hall branched out into another passage. It was obvious that the other Princess didn't want to speak with the Hylian for whatever reason. Midna continued down the hall and Zelda stopped, watching the Twili go. She wondered just how often Midna had been visiting Link like this, and hoped the other Princess wasn't pressing him too much – especially since she spoke her warning words.

After a moment of silent contemplation Zelda turned back to the direction of Link's room, waiting in stillness for a short while as the royal thought over if she wished to confront him after all. Before the Princess had a chance to take a step in either direction, she heard the doorknob to Link's chambers turn. The Hylian looked over her shoulder to see the Sheikah's hand reach out, taking the apple from the ground before shutting the wooden panel with a quiet click.

Zelda smiled sadly then continued down the hall. She realized her request to ask for his aid regarding the search of the outlaws wasn't right. He had far too many personal matters to deal with as of now, pained and exhausted from everything. The royal knew that one thing he faced was his adaptation to being a Sheikah, hiding and keeping to himself in the meantime as he began to come to terms and accept his differences. The change with his eyes had come quickly, but she knew that the Shadow Folk were a race that had heightened senses and abilities. Possibly getting him involved in something that could lead to a fight… action such as that was too much for him now as he was, struggling with his own battles in a sense. Zelda desperately hoped he and Midna would expose all the truths one day soon, first having to find themselves and one another. The longer they waited, the harder it would be for them.

The Princess of Hyrule knew she had to do that as well at some point; expose the hidden past to everyone as to never again let these mistakes repeat. That would be addressed soon, but as of now her mind went back to the matter of the rogues.

The last of the search parties for the bandits had returned earlier in the day and none of them had any news regarding the whereabouts of the outlaws. The Princess was concerned. With the brigands injured like that, their group couldn't be on the move and should have some place to lie low. It would be the ideal time to come across them; the fugitives unable to constantly avoid the men the Princess set out to search for them. Under those conditions, her soldiers should have found and captured the group already. So the question of why hadn't they done so still remained. By now, they were highly likely to be preparing to strike again, and Zelda didn't want another incident getting in the way of what needed to be done.

* * *

Link was feeling quite well this evening. The exhaustion and soreness that had plagued him since the return from the Sacred Grove was seemingly gone; possibly thanks to all his rest, and the lines on his skin were probably the lightest they would get, as over the past few days they hadn't faded any further. That in addition to what Zelda had told him when he had given the Princess his tunic, the Sheikah was in higher spirits, even if the slightest. Yet every time he thought of Midna they fell once more. He knew she was leaving apples outside his room, but each time he had sensed her, Link just couldn't seem to greet the Twili. He felt the slightest bit less stressed by her visits though, Midna refraining from knocking like she had done before. Maybe soon he would take the fruit from the Princess in person.

As of now Link was making his way down the hall quickly and quietly, holding an apple from Midna in one hand, a few bites taken out of it, and a saddlebag with the remaining apples he hadn't yet eaten in the other. The Sheikah was planning on taking a short trip now that he finally seemed to be free of any and all physical pains. He would call Epona, head to the Hidden Village, and be back by dawn. Nobody would miss him in that short of a time and he knew Colin wouldn't be working with the mare at this hour. It's not like anyone would notice Link's absence anyway, him having been cooped up in his room for much of the time since their arrival back at the castle after his ordeal. The Sheikah could have gone out and socialized in Castle Town even with his exhaustion, but Link knew any more time spent in familiar areas of Hyrule would only make it harder for him to leave when that time came, and he knew no matter what he would return with Midna to her realm; too fearful of her leaving him behind just as she attempted to do a year past. Before that though, the Sheikah needed to finish his business in the world of Light and then the two could find a way to use the Fused Shadows to go back without regrets of what would be left behind.

Link turned a corner, heading down a set of stairs. As he finished one flight he paused, noticing… something. His heightened sense of telling that people were present was a Sheikah trait he had inherited and was only now getting used to. He'd practiced sensing others when Midna would leave apples outside of his room. The Sheikah could tell from the voice of the Light Princess that Zelda had passed his chambers the same time that the Twili had just recently; leaving behind yet another apple before briskly walking away at the call from the Hylian.

"Link…" Zelda's voice drifted. He spun around, looking down the hall that his back had been turned to a moment ago. The Princess that stood in the passage appeared to be a bit concerned, eyes traveling to the bag he carried. "You should not be going out at this time. Where are you headed?"

He didn't want to, but he had to tell her, knowing that Zelda wouldn't let him leave without informing her of his destination. It took him a few seconds, but Link let the tension of his surprise at her words wane. Zelda noticed that he became more at ease, and the Princess took a step forward.

"Impaz… I want to visit her," the Sheikah spoke hesitantly and with sorrow, not meeting the gaze of the royal as he looked to the half eaten apple he tightly gripped in his fist. Link knew that she was possibly his only direct blood relative left and hoped that maybe the elderly woman would have an idea as to what it meant when it came to mending the bond between the two races. If not that, then at least Link might have the chance to learn more about his own parents; particularly the mother he had never known.

Zelda stopped at the words from the once-Hero but now Sheikah.

"Link, I am so very sorry, but…" the royal drifted, face sorrowful. Zelda knew she couldn't beat around the bush any longer by saving the topic for later. It was best revealed now, even if it were painful. "She is dead."

He inhaled sharply, head snapping up to meet blue eyes at the Hylian's abrupt and unexpected statement.

"She was elderly, the last true Sheikah in Hyrule. She did her best, but it was just recently the guardian left this realm for that of another. I believe it was mere weeks before your arrival in my kingdom. The messenger came and told me personally, not informing the council during the meeting following her passing. The Hidden Village is now home to just a clan of cats. Otherwise, it is vacant."

Link was dismayed. Did that mean he truly failed? There was no way to mend the bond between the Hylians and Sheikah, and no hope of knowing how? The Princess continued at his silence.

"The Shadow Folk of Hyrule are no longer, but Link, you are not alone. You may be the last Sheikah as you know it…" she drifted and Link looked to her, mind buzzing. "Some things are brightest in the dark," Zelda spoke quietly, eyes not meeting his. The Sheikah tilted his head in confusion and the royal took a few steps towards him as she continued, once more letting her gaze be drawn to one opposite her own. "Whereas others can only be seen when the trouble is shared. Do you understand what I speak of?" the royal questioned, coming to a realization of her own, but suppressing it for a moment as she attempted to clarify the struggle Link was going through. She wished to gently - not harshly like Midna had - help him see the pain he was causing both himself and the Twili, and hoped that it wasn't too much for him to handle in addition to the news regarding Impaz. She quickly reassured herself that her actions were right. Link needed this minor distraction for the moment.

"Zelda, I…" the Sheikah drifted, not knowing what to think. The Princess had abruptly changed the direction of her words. Link shifted focus and concentrated on answering her query. Impaz's death came as a painful shock, but the royal seemed to dim the impact with the turn in topic. It appeared she understood that he needed to have time to digest that at a later date, and instead bring his attention to something else as of now.

"Courage comes in many forms, and that is your strength. Some events require braving things alone, and others by the side of those who wish to understand. Deciding what path is best may be quite difficult, yet the results reap great benefits," the Princess continued. Link started the slightest, not expecting Zelda to bring into the conversation the blessing that his soul held. The Sheikah was aware of the meaning behind her words, having felt the slightest bit less tense after his previous discussion with her. Link was just taking his time with it all because he feared the painful moment of honesty.

"You know of joy surrounding truth; even if with it comes momentary pain, happiness follows."

Link nodded slowly, opening his mouth to speak tentatively.

"T-thank you again, Zelda," his gaze went to the bag of apples as he spoke, gripping the leather strap tightly. Link looked up after a few breaths to see the royal turning her back.

As the Princess of Hyrule walked off after their confrontation, Zelda was shocked that she, the one blessed with Wisdom of the Goddesses, hadn't seen everything sooner and only came to the realization during her discussion with Link. The Hylian immediately went and summoned her guard; holding an impromptu meeting with a select few of her best knights after marking a place on the map of Hyrule and setting them out after a meal and orders to venture forth. It was best to go now, even though darkness had fallen. With these matters she couldn't risk any more time passing.

In a day or two hopefully everything would finally be set right in her realm once more, and then the royal could address the matter of Link and Midna's return without any further fears regarding the well-being of her own kingdom.

* * *

Link had returned to his room and for the past hour or so had been looking up at the ceiling from where he lie on the bed. He'd been thinking of what Zelda had said, feeling terrible about not getting to know Impaz more before he left for the Twilight Realm with Midna; yet Link was simultaneously glad he wasn't emotionally close to the guardian, as that would make her passing much more difficult to accept.

The Sheikah sighed. He couldn't dwell on any of that now, the light of life from the single resident of the Hidden Village now extinguished. Impaz was gone, leaving Link the only remaining member of the Shadow Folk in Hyrule.

 _In Hyrule._

The Sheikah sat upright abruptly, mind racing. He felt as if he was onto something with his thoughts, pieces falling into place suddenly as his consciousness drifted back to the time he previously discussed Impaz before his confrontation with the Princess. The Hero's Shade had told him that Link was searching with the wrong light, in essence, taking a path that only led to a dead end. Zelda's wise words echoed that thought, and Link felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. The light he was guided by was that of the brightness of Hyrule, which had blinded him from the calming glow he had come to know so well over the course of the past year. The solution was much more obvious than he initially thought, it having been by his side the whole time.

Yet making the truth a reality may be even more difficult than if he were to bring the Sheikah and Hylians together. Link had to do the impossible, and he had no idea how to go about making that come to pass.

He stood, walking to the desk against a wall and grabbing one of the apples out of the bag he had laid on top of the table; quickly sinking his teeth into the flesh of the red fruit. He was afraid and overwhelmed, but he couldn't let that get to him now as it had before. The Sheikah had to take up the offer he was presented with, thinking over how he would even begin to address it with the others.

Link needed a day or so, and then he promised himself that he would move everything forward.

* * *

Zelda was surprised at how quickly it was that the search party returned with the bandits in tow. Less than two full days had gone by and she was quite lucky. If it took any more time, the group would have been well enough to be completely on the move again, quite possibly abandoning their base for good and finding another now that they undoubtedly knew they were being hunted. The Princess still didn't like how long it took for them to be captured and should have known that they were hiding out in the Hidden Village. Their appearance coincided with the vacancy left behind by Impaz's death. The messenger said she was found peaceful, so it had to have been merely days after he passed through that the men took up residence in the elderly woman's village. The Princess of Hyrule hadn't thought on it until Link mentioned the guardian from the ancient tribe, but now everything was said and done. Finally she could focus all her attention on her two dear friends and that of the kingdom they wished to return to.

The Hylian royal smiled at the guard who brought her the news. It was the same man that had escorted Link and Midna to their chambers upon their initial arrival to the castle.

"Inform my special guests to immediately join me for a meal," the Princess spoke. It was still a bit early for dinner, but that didn't matter. They would discuss more than eat anyway. The Princess just needed a reason for them to see her as soon as possible. She would tell the two of everything in person.

The guard bowed his head and turned on his heel. Zelda watched him go, mentally preparing herself for what needed to be addressed. She would hold another meeting with her council soon, the matter on her mind being the priority, but before anyone else heard what she would say, Midna and Link needed to know.

* * *

"I bring good news," Zelda spoke as the two took seats at the oak dining table. Food had been brought as she waited for their arrival, anticipation making her nervous and causing the Princess to poke at what lay on her plate as she waited, even though she wasn't hungry. Now she sat still, eyes meeting those of the ones before her. "The bandits have been caught and there are no more dangers in Hyrule. We may be able to address other matters now."

"Great, now your empty dungeons won't be so lonely," Midna said, quite relieved about it but at the same time felt as if she could care less in a way, only really wanting for things to be fixed between herself and Link. She's followed Zelda's instructions to give the Sheikah the space he needed, yet nothing seemed to change, and the Twili still wasn't able to fully decode the Princess's words regarding the apples from their confrontation in the garden. She'd avoided Zelda since then to show her annoyance with it all. Now she spoke sarcastically in attempt to change the mood and simultaneously express that the reason why there was so much trouble with them in the first place was because the ruler wasn't the type to keep prisoners. Midna recalled how upon first entering Hyrule again that she was glad Zelda didn't use the dungeons, but now realized how stupid of a thought that was. Every world had those that held ill intentions and needed to be kept under guard lest troubles break loose. She knew that all too well.

"There… may be a way to return to your realm sooner than you think," Zelda spoke, ignoring Midna's words. She was furiously thinking over how to present the information so she let the quip slide, ignoring the rude statement from the Twili. Even though the Princess of Light had been mulling over it all since not long after the arrival of the two in Hyrule – and thinking of the broader topic intertwined with it long before the Mirror was shattered – she hadn't exactly thought about just how to phrase everything in a way that was logical and didn't leave them in the dark as her previous explanations had.

The Sheikah and Twili looked to the Hylian with wide eyes.

"Why haven't you mentioned this earlier?" Midna asked, gritting her teeth the slightest.

"I am sorry. I had my reasons," the Hylian replied. She needed to make sure her realm was well before sending Link and Midna off to the other once more. Zelda understood it was selfish, but at the same time couldn't risk their relationship being broken by what she knew may come to pass with this next move. The one of Wisdom needed to act carefully and was hoping that their bond would have mended some since their return to the castle. She had done all she could and desperately wished that they would move forward, but maybe presenting this action would possibly help the Sheikah and Twili. She wasn't sure _what_ exactly it would do between them at this point. Good or bad, she decided on taking a step forward.

"But now may be a good time. Partly why I had not told you before was because of the danger it poses. It will be difficult for you two, but if it does indeed work, then we may very well be able to reverse what has been done by your hand, Midna," Zelda explained cautiously.

"W-what do you mean?" the Twilight Princess spoke nervously, suddenly uneasy now that the center of attention seemed to be on her. Link looked back and forth between the two royals before him.

"The day you shattered the Mirror, I could see the regret on your face. You wanted to hide it deep within and were willing to sacrifice much but instead created more pain that has manifested in various ways over the course of these events. What I am saying is that there may be a method to reunite the Twilight Realm and Hyrule… but it quite possibly comes at a price – if it is at all truly possible."

"How?" Link asked determined, now understanding for a fact that the one spoken of in his trial who had attempted to sacrifice happiness was the one by his side the whole time; just as the solution to his parents' wish was. It seemed that he didn't need to bring up the topic, Zelda having begun to do so herself – for some reason. Maybe she was helping him aim as he attempted to hit two birds with one stone. The Sheikah was well aware that the royals were knowledgeable about one of his own struggles in this world, as it is what in part drove him to crossing between the kingdoms in the first place. Ever since Zelda's initial confrontation with him upon their arrival at her palace once more, Link had begun to become aware of what was really right, even if the process seemed to be agonizingly slow.

"I know for a fact that the Fused Shadows have not regained their full magic. I do not need for you to confirm that for me, Midna," Zelda began her explanation. The Twili stared at her, all thoughts of irritation towards the Princess of Hyrule now gone with the prospect of going home once again. "The Light Spirits watched over and sealed their power. Second to Midna, they are the most knowledgeable about the ancient magic. There may be a way for them to help us… and possibly even with their assistance, make another portal between the two worlds that is not temporary. I do not wish for you to be too eager about this. As I said, it is simply a possibility. I am unknowledgeable regarding if it will succeed, as nothing like this has ever been attempted in the past."

"I'll do it," Midna spoke. "I'll be willing to at least try."

"There is a risk involved like I have stated previously. I… do not know what will happen or what we will face when doing this. I still must confirm it all with the court. As of now with the recent dealings regarding foreign arrangements and capture of the bandits, I believe they will be the most open to a matter such as this now more than any time, as we could treat the Twilight Realm like that of another country. The biggest ordeal though will be addressing the connection of your kingdom with that of Hyrule. Neither the council nor any of the other dignities are familiar with magic such as that found in the other world. I do believe though, that if they know Link is of the race that protected the Royal Family all that time ago, and that same race – although the defectors of it – have come to be the peaceful Twili, then this may work to our advantage. I have familiarized my court with some of the actions of the Hero of Twilight, yet they currently do not know you are the one they praise," Zelda said, drawing her gaze from the other Princess and looking Link in his bright red eyes.

"But Zelda, I'm no longer a Hero in this life," he spoke concerned. In reply the Light ruler smiled sadly, seeing that he still partially blamed himself for things beyond his control. It seemed that was something he fell back on in times of doubt.

"That matters not, Link, and you know this. Your actions saved us nonetheless, and that is something they cannot deny. You still carry the blessing of the Goddesses, and that will be with you until the next to inherit your soul takes up the blade against evil. Although you are no longer following the path of the Hero, your spirit is intertwined with that of the fate of this land and its well-being. It is best for both of our worlds, I believe. Thinking back on the Legend of the Sheikah and the Interloper War, you must see it too. Both of you must know," Zelda stopped, looking between the two and allowing them to think over what she had said. The Hylian continued after a few moments of their silence.

"The Legend states the spirit of the Hero was not born into the era of the Interloper War, or if he had been, he was in another world and unable to stop or intervene in the matters of the battle that led to so much bloodshed and disorder. We cannot risk that again."

"I…" Link drifted, not knowing what to say but feeling as if an ancient weight had been lifted from his spirit, confirming the way to do what he was destined in this life. He could finally move on to what he truly wished. Things were beginning to work out again.

"This will be discussed with my council soon. Please be prepared. Both of you must understand that this will be a great ordeal, but I see you are willing to undertake it with the chance of happiness lying beyond," Zelda spoke, looking the Sheikah in his red eyes once more. "It is what you have wished for, is it not?" the Hylian didn't wait for a reply, knowing her words were true, and only now fully realizing that it, too, would help mend the relationship between him and the Twilight Princess. "You are the link: the Sheikah connecting the Hylians and Twili. Link, I know this is the chance you have been waiting for. It is what we all have been waiting for."

* * *

 **A/N: Why am I using Latin for chapter titles?**  
 **Uh… Latin sounds cool? ^^; (Sorry if my Latin sucks, but do I need a legitimate reason for using it? I am the author after all. :P)**  
 **Anyway, things are kind of going to start speeding along here since I have a lot I want to cover but little time to cover it since I (for some reason) promised myself I'd complete this fic by the end of 2015… Yeah, I don't know why I made that promise to myself, but I am _not_ going back on it for any reason. Now the story is in its final stretch! :3  
**


	23. Contra Spem Spero

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

 _Contra Spem Spero  
_ "I Hope Against Hope"

* * *

Zelda hadn't spoken with Link or Midna since their talk regarding the creation of another portal and their return to the Twilight Realm. The Hylian was far to busy with arranging a formal meeting to discuss the matter with her court. She also hoped to have an ambassador or two from a few of the neighboring countries present in hopes of at least discussing the formation of an alliance between the Twilight Realm and her own land as well, but knew that would be highly unlikely, as many of the dignitaries had already departed to their homelands now that their business in Hyrule was complete. Zelda also realized that bringing to light knowledge of the other realm was best left to being addressed solely in her kingdom, and then expanded to others later if the creation of the portal was a success.

The Princess of the Light world was almost prepared. Tomorrow the existence of the Twilight Realm and its people would finally be exposed. She hoped that the others were ready, and that her council would be open to a treaty with the ones that long ago betrayed Hyrule.

* * *

"Hey, Link?" Midna asked as she stood before his door. Even after their discussion with Zelda, Link had stuck with his routine of staying in his room much of the time, yet on occasion she had seen him roaming the halls. Midna mostly kept up with visiting the gardens over the past week or so since the meeting, but now she gave the Sheikah the apples in person, Link opening the door when he heard her approach. At first it shocked the Twili, but she was welcome to the change. Something about Zelda's reveal the other day seemed to have helped the two understand their own and each other's needs; even if the slightest. It was if they were once again beginning to open up to one another, hopefully this being the last time they would be distant. When they got back to her realm Midna believed she would tell Link what had been on her mind all this time; taking the Hylian's words that it may be a risk to heart. Even so, it was a risk Midna realized she was willing to take when the time came.

"Yeah?" the Sheikah called from the other side of the door after a short hesitation.

"Do… you want another apple?" Midna asked tentatively.

"An apple?" he asked, almost sounding irritated. Maybe she should stop bringing him the fruit, but it was really the only excuse the Princess had to be near the Sheikah and begin opening up once more. Even after these few days since Zelda brought up the capture of the bandits and Twilight Realm discussion, Link still didn't seem to take too much action in conversing with Midna. This was the most he did as of now, but at least he was interacting with her more than before. He was willing to have conversations, and they were starting to seem more and more like the ones they shared in the past. At least just the slightest bit so.

"Yes, _an apple_ ," Midna sighed, a touch of irritation in her own voice. The door opened slowly, Link's eyes not meeting hers and instead going to the fruit he held. She followed his gaze and lifted the object the slightest, extending her arm that held it towards him. The Sheikah reached out, taking it from her hand. After a moment the Twili smiled weakly. "I'll take that as a yes."

Link took a bite of the fruit, the corner of his mouth twitching up in the slightest bit of a smile as he chewed. After he swallowed a mouthful, the Sheikah spoke.

"Yes, and… thank you. But why do you keep bringing apples? I've been meaning to ask." He took another bite and swallowed as Midna stood watching, noticing his sharper canine dig into the fruit in the process. "…But I haven't, because… Well, I'm sorry," his gaze drifted to the partially eaten fruit in his hand then a moment later brought it to his mouth once more, eyes not meeting hers.

"It's… okay," Midna spoke, now regretting not bringing another apple so she could eat one herself. "May I come in?"

Link paused mid-bite, eyes darting to hers as he pulled the red fruit away from his mouth. He looked down to it in his hand before meeting her gaze again. The Sheikah carefully stepped back from the door to make room for her to enter.

"Sure…" he spoke quietly. Midna tentatively stepped over the threshold and Link walked to the center of the room, gesturing to the chair before a desk if she wished to sit, while he leaned against the post at the end of the bed, taking another bite of the apple. As she approached, Midna noticed a small pile of apple cores next to an empty leather satchel. She couldn't help but let her mouth twitch into a smile for a brief moment before turning to the chair sitting upon it; the backrest of the seat facing Link as she put her arms over the top, propping her chin on them and silently watching as he ate.

Midna didn't exactly know what to say, not expecting to actually be allowed to enter, as their conversations over the previous few days had taken place as they stood before the door. She was pleasantly surprised by the direction this was going in; the Twili simply staying in Link's company and watching as the Sheikah continued to take bites of the fruit she had given him, briefly recalling Zelda's apple lecture before Link interrupted her thoughts.

"Midna, what is this about?" Link spoke after a short while. "Ever since Zelda brought up returning to the Twilight Realm, you're somehow… different. But at the same time, not really."

"You are too. You seem a bit more… relaxed. Normal even," she finally spoke after a bit of contemplation. Things were moving forward now.

Link stopped chewing for a second, thinking over her statement. She was right. He no longer seemed to have that distance he had shown her previously upon their return to Hyrule Castle. He still didn't feel ready to tell her everything, but was at least more open and didn't shut himself off from the Princess.

"Yeah, your right. I mean… we might be able to go back to the Twilight Realm soon, and when we're there…" he drifted, looking at the apple in his hand. Midna could tell he was still hiding something, somehow, and knew she had to let Link tell her on his own. The Twili waited patiently. It was hard for her to not speak, knowing that he had something to say, but she felt he needed the silence. It seemed Zelda's advice she had previously found pointless was starting to work, as the Sheikah continued on his own.

"…I-I have something I want to tell you then," he gripped the apple tightly, looking to it as his nails dug into the skin. Link let out a breath, easing the tension he held. Midna smiled.

"Okay," she stood from her seat, leaving it at that. The Twili was glad he'd been that open, realizing that Zelda really _was_ right. Letting Link go at his own pace made things easier for him to return to normal. It was a bit hard for her to do so, but the reward was worth it.

The Sheikah smiled back at her, and then glanced at the apple in his hand. He sensed she was going to leave and almost wanted to say something to make her stay a bit longer – even if they wouldn't talk and instead simply just enjoy the company of the other. It seemed he hadn't said anything fast enough, as the Princess decided to speak once more.

"Link," Midna looked over her shoulder at him with a kind smile as she made her way towards the door. "I have something I want to tell you, too… When we get back to the Twilight Realm, I mean."

He blinked in surprise and the Twili continued.

"So, thank you. Talking like this has been nice."

Link paused before speaking.

"Yeah… It has." The Sheikah hadn't realized how true that was. "Thank you, too."

The Princess nodded, then stepped out of his room. Before she had a chance to make her way down the hall, Link called her name.

"Midna."

She turned.

"These apples taste great. Sorry I didn't really show appreciation for you bringing them before."

The Twilight Princess shook her head.

"No, sorry I brought you so many. You're probably sick of them now, aren't you?" she smirked. Link let out a tiny chuckle with her words. He didn't expect to laugh, but somehow did anyway, the mood between them so much lighter. Midna looked to him shocked for a moment, then giggled the slightest as well.

"Then I'll bring a couple more tomorrow," she spoke before turning and making her way down the hall with a wide grin.

* * *

Zelda stood at the head of a large mahogany table that had been set up in the throne room. The arrangement was the exact same as when the Princess had first seen the Twili and now current Sheikah but previously Hero enter her palace a couple weeks past, except this time the meeting would be held with the two present. Currently Link and Midna, the latter cloaked, stood to either side of the Hylian as the Princess addressed the council.

"You may have noticed the presence of these two guests," Zelda said, speaking of Link on her left and the veiled Twili to her right. "I apologize for not introducing them sooner, but there were other matters to attend to," the Hylian continued, referring to the bandits and relations with other countries. "But now is the time to address this topic. Although the foreign affairs may have come to a close with the departure of the dignitaries of neighboring countries, I hope to once more open them and address that of a kingdom not previously known to the public of Hyrule."

Zelda paused there; letting her court absorb the strange concept she presented them with. The councilmen looked to one another, mumbling under their breath as the two royals and Sheikah waited for their discussion to die down. After a time that seemed to last eternity, the last of the councilmen turned their attention to the Princess once more.

"This kingdom… the realm has had relations with Hyrule going back to ages past. These relations were tense, and because of that, their world was separated from ours. I apologize that even all of you are unaware of this, as it was something only passed along my family line and that of this other kingdom's; closely guarded by the rulers of each, but now it must finally come out of the dark and meet with the light…"

And with those words Zelda began her explanation of the legend shrouded in shadow.

* * *

The Princess knew that exposing the past would be a very sensitive matter, but this time would be when her court was most open to the proposition. She finished the history with a sigh, pausing for a short time to catch her breath and allow the council to absorb the information. She didn't leave the air still for long though, diving right into the next matter as to not let dark thoughts of the harsh past take hold.

"Much time has passed since that era, and the other kingdom is more than willing to once more be in alliance with Hyrule. They no longer cling to that history and are a peaceful people now," Zelda spoke as the Twili and Sheikah listened attentively, patiently waiting in silence for their role in this matter.

Midna had never had the chance to discuss the topic of relations with her own people, but for them to once more have a connection to the world of Light… she believed it was for the best. Her subjects trusted her. They let Midna and Link leave easily, knowing the Princess would return one day. She was grateful to her people. They were too kind in a way, letting her do all this. Midna thought she didn't deserve their kindness, though this was the least she could do for them, once more opening connections with the world of Light. If all went well, then the children that expressed interest in Link's homeland may finally be able to venture there themselves. The Hylian continued.

"The current Princess of this kingdom has been staying in the castle for a short time now," Zelda said, holding her right hand out, palm up, towards Midna. "Once more I am sorry for keeping this a secret to everybody. Midna, you may uncloak yourself."

The Twili pulled back her hood, finally being free of the cloth that hid her exotic features.

Some of the council members let out a gasp, while others simply stared.

"Their appearance has changed drastically from their time in this other realm. It has taken generations for their current state to come to what it is. I understand what they look like may be strange, but many races that reside in Hyrule or have alliances with our kingdom are unique: Gorons, Zoras, and others. Although they appear different, within these are of the same people who lived here long ago. As a matter of fact, all along our hidden savior was one of them, residing here in Hyrule and coming forward to save our kingdoms," Zelda spoke, this time gesturing to Link then nodding to Midna a moment later. The one previously known as a Hero had been a Sheikah the whole time, but not a complete Sheikah, as that matter was far too complicated to explain, at least of now with all the other information.

"You know of the one that saved this realm, defeating the man who threw both of our worlds into the chaos that passed. Link here is of Sheikah blood. He is of the race that became the Twili," Zelda turned to face Link, nodding, and then once more looking to her council. The gaze of the Princess met that of each individual, attempting to read their expressions in order to see where they currently stood on the matter. After some time of stillness and tense silence, one of the eldest members of Zelda's court voiced his thoughts.

"And if something similar to the history you have told us comes to pass yet again?" The others nodded in silent agreement. Zelda was prepared for that question, knowing it would be the most dangerous topic yet hold the most fulfilling reward.

"We are stronger when united rather than divided. Think of the course of history I have told you. Think on all this and what it would mean if it were to repeat. Undoubtedly a time will come once more when tension arises, as it has in the past, but if we attempt to understand, then we may attempt to avoid meeting with that terrible fate. It is inevitable that something will happen once more, an unpreventable cycle. The direction of that cycle we follow is up to our decision here. With knowledge comes responsibility, but with ignorance comes only pain."

Silence filled the room again. Link shifted uneasily, not used to such serious meetings as these. True, he was a councilman of sorts himself in the Twilight Realm, but the Twili almost seemed much more lighthearted than those of the Light dwellers. No matter the subject addressed, the council would approach it more openly than the court of Hyrule seemed to. Then again, there wasn't the same sort of stress in the meetings he held. The Twilight Realm didn't have to deal with foreign affairs, at least since before all this. Link realized that if everything came to pass smoothly, then he would have much more work to do as part of the job he had been given by Midna to replace Zant. That wouldn't matter though. He would take on that additional responsibility willingly. If it meant there would be a peace between the two realms, if this would mend the bond his parents wished, then Link would make sure it came to pass well and stayed that way for as long as possible.

Eventually Zelda broke the silence once more.

"We have peaceful alliances with the Goron and Zora people. Zora's Domain is an extension of Hyrule, yet it is ruled by King Ralis. If there is success in forming an alliance with the Twilight Realm, it will be vaguely similar yet simultaneously quite different in a way. Because of its unique… placement… relative to our world, the form of travel is unlike anything in Hyrule. Warping is the way of traversing between our realm and that of the Twilight. I do not know for sure how it will all work, as we have not yet created the portal, waiting for your approval before doing so, but I believe we may set up two main passages. One of which would reside here in the castle, where we will attempt to open the gateway once more if approved.

"Gerudo Province was the location of the previous connection to the other realm and if possible, I plan for another main gateway to be where the last one resided... as to never forget the past transgressions that caused the initial separation. Additional portals to that gateway may be set up throughout the provinces of Hyurle if deemed necessary and possible."

Zelda looked over the council again and Midna followed her gaze, eyes hopping from one member to the next. A time of seemingly infinite silence passed before the Princess of Hyrule spoke once more, waiting for her previous words to sink in before moving on.

"Whatever option is chosen, now you will come away knowing the truth. It is up to you to make the decision regarding relationships with the other realm. Either way, these two will one day return to the Twilight Realm. The final choice regards whether or not they will be able to come to Hyrule once more and whether or not a connection may be formed between our worlds. Trade of commodities and such may be further addressed at a later occasion and when necessary. I have presented all the information needed at this time. Please discuss the matter amongst yourselves and ask of me any more questions regarding this. I expect a decision in the upcoming days and will handle the matters personally. Until then, these two will take their leave and prepare for what is to come, as will I."

* * *

Link and Midna walked the halls together after they had departed the throne room. As they rounded a corner, the Twili pulled two shining red fruits out from beneath the shall that was still draped about her shoulders but no longer her head. Silently she handed the Sheikah one, and he took the apple after a moment of hesitation. Lifting it to his lips, Link spoke.

"You were holding on to these the entire council?" he questioned without meeting her eyes. The Sheikah took a bite upon finishing his query. Midna gave him a sidelong glance. She didn't want to think on the tension of the discussion that had taken place mere minutes ago.

"What? Are you complaining? Yesterday I said I'd bring more apples. I figured I should give yours to you before you head back to your room," the Twili said jokingly, lifting her own apple to her mouth and not expecting any sort of reply from the one next to her. Link suddenly stopped walking.

"Midna…" his voice drifted. She turned, having taken a stride after Link had come to a halt. The gaze of the Sheikah was distant as it drifted out a window in the hall they walked, overlooking the gardens below. The Princess stepped towards him, bringing her arm that held the apple to her side. Link tore his gaze from the outdoors, looking to the fruit the Twilight royal held. "I don't really want to go back to my room right now. So… can we… maybe go on a walk?"

The Twili started, shocked that he wanted to spend time with her like this all of a sudden.

"Yes!" she said enthusiastically, excited by the proposition. "The gardens are nice here. Do you want to talk about anything on your mind?"

"Um… no. I just want to walk. If you don't want to, you don't have to…" Link drifted. Midna noticed he'd become a little less open upon hearing her question. She quickly followed up with a reassurance.

"No, I'll do whatever you want. Anyway, you've been cooped up in your room so long you probably need the exercise, so it's best to focus on that, isn't it?" the Twili smiled. Link met her gaze, returning the expression.

"Yeah. I really haven't been myself lately, so this will be nice," he replied, and as Link began to walk once more Midna fell into step with him, the two eating their apples without a word as they made their way to the orchard.

* * *

That evening the Sheikah sat before the window of his room with a smile. Until doing so, he hadn't realized how nice it was to simply go on a stroll with Midna. Not long ago they'd parted ways, he returning to his room after the outing with her. Link looked back on his actions since their return to the palace, having a clearer head that he attributed to the fresh air and peace he found in the silence that was shared between him and the Twili. He felt like an idiot; thinking that distancing himself from the Princess to think over his problems would help him come to terms with them. No, simply being in silence with her as the two made their way through the gardens gave him time to process what was happening around – and within – him.

So far, things were looking much brighter. It seemed all that remained was the approval of the council, the creation of the portal, and then…

Link frowned. There was still the possibility that caused the one blessed with courage to feel fear. He'd managed to push it aside with everything else that had happened, but it was approaching the time when he needed to face it. Keeping it a secret from her could only go on for so long, but…

Was the Interloper telling the full truth? Or had the Hero's Shade been the one who was right?

The Sheikah let out a sigh. Whatever it may be, he couldn't keep thinking of it all in a negative light. Link hoped that happiness would follow when the time came. Simply thinking of it in a positive way seemed to help the slightest, and his mouth curved into a small smile.

Soon he would confront his fears with courage.

* * *

They waited eagerly.

A fortnight had passed and after the events following the meeting, the Twili and Sheikah had begun to spend even more time with one another; simply eating apples in the garden together or going on walks throughout the castle. They didn't necessarily speak much and when they did, the two brought up simple things. Midna still knew that there was something Link had yet to tell her, but the atmosphere they shared was much calmer and she didn't feel the need to know whatever he hid nearly as much as she had before. It made the Princess feel relaxed, and her worry for Link had waned greatly. In addition to that, Midna had completely discarded the cloth covering her features now that the existence of her kind was known within the castle.

As of now she sat in the garden with a smile, turning an apple core she held in her hand and looking at the seeds that peeked out from the remaining flesh. Link had just left minutes ago after finishing his own fruit, and the Twili was debating if she wanted to eat another.

Although tensions between her and Link were much less stressed, the Princess still held the underlying fear that the council wouldn't approve of the decision and the two would either be stuck in Hyrule forever or need to wait until the Fused Shadows regained just enough power to create a portal that would last barely long enough to return.

The ability to possibly be able to travel back and forth between the two realms like before the Mirror of Twilight was destroyed… It was a far-fetched wish and Midna knew it. Even if the council approved, they might fail in making the permanent portal. She couldn't get her hopes up, as she still had other matters to be concerned with, especially if they didn't succeed.

The Twili set the apple core on the bench next to her and stood, reaching for a fresh fruit. After she had plucked a plump red morsel from the tree, she sat back down. The Twilight Princess stared at a recently picked apple she held in her hand and let her mind think over Zelda's riddle of sorts: on what it meant that the apple knew of its condition, and how it got to it. During her silent walks with Link she had plenty of time to think on it. For the most part, the topic of the cycle made sense to the Twili. The cycle –

"Miss," a guard spoke, snapping Midna out of her thoughts before she could complete the idea. The Twili looked to the man that she hadn't noticed approach; too focused with the words Zelda had told her in the garden from before. A moment later the soldier continued. "Her Highness requests to see you in the throne room."

Midna almost jumped from her seat. The anticipation of not knowing was painful to her, but now was the moment of truth. She let the apple fall to the ground as she hurriedly made her way into the castle, leaving the surprised guard standing alone in the gardens.

* * *

Link walked to the throne room, trying his best to prevent himself from running. The decision had been made, he knew it from the way the guard informed him that Zelda was waiting for his arrival. The Sheikah could feel his heart racing in his chest, the last time this had happened was from his excitement the night Midna and he spoke their initial truths, confessing their feelings to one another. If it all worked then… They were getting closer and closer – he knew. Link desperately wanted it to go as planned, but understood the matter may not succeed, Zelda's court having looked quite serious during her address to them the other day and in addition to that, they still had to tackle the creation of the portal, not knowing what that would entail. He took a deep breath as he came to stand before the grand doors, waiting for the guard to open them and permit his entrance to the throne room in which the Hylian waited.

The Princess of Hyrule had a formal and dignified smile on her face, nodding to Link as he approached once the moment the great doors were wide enough for him to enter. The Sheikah knew that Zelda's expression could only mean good things, and he saw Midna standing next to the Light Princess, excitement apparent from the way she held herself.

"The council? What's the decision?" Link spoke the instant he was close enough to them that he didn't need to shout in order for the two to hear his words.

"It has been decided. The treaty has been agreed upon. All that is required is the approval on Midna's end with the signing of the official documents. That may come later though, as it will be pointless if we cannot succeed in creating a portal that will last."

Her final words caused Link and Midna's hearts to fall. One obstacle had been overcome, but there was still another, and after that…

"Worry not. With the enthusiasm and dedication you two hold towards making this a reality, the possibility is quite real, yet I cannot guarantee the results."

Midna and Link looked to one another, both letting the smiles slip from their faces.

They didn't wish to think what would happen if they failed.

A moment later Zelda turned to face her throne, looking up to the beautiful marble carving of the Triforce and the three Golden Goddesses that created it. After taking a deep breath and offering a silent prayer of hope, she once more shifted her gaze to the Twili and Sheikah in her presence. They drew their eyes from one another and looked to the Hylian royal.

"Are you prepared? What we are about to do… I do not know what may pass, or what we will endure in the process," Zelda spoke. Link thought back to his own ordeal. At least he had an inkling of what might happen. He now felt bad for not explaining what he had faced there so that the Sheikah might be able to better prepare the others for that possibility. At the same time he was somewhat glad, not wanting to burden them with that knowledge at this time. What would come to pass here was going to be different, he knew. Link just wasn't sure exactly how it would be so.

After a silent nod from the two who had ventured across worlds, the Princess of Hyrule gestured for them follow her and the three made their way to the back of the throne, standing in the large empty area behind the regal structure. Link and Midna hadn't realized how much space was there, having only spent time in the main portion before the grand seat. They wondered if this was a new addition added with the repairs to the palace after the fight with Ganondorf, or if it was originally like this and they hadn't taken note of it during the heat of battle. At the very back wall was a balcony built into the side of the castle that overlooked the gardens below, and in the distance Hyrule Field of Lanayru Province was visible.

"I believe this will be the ideal place," the Princess of the Light realm explained. "It is the closest it can be to the heart of my kingdom, symbolizing the trust I have for your people and that of our deep bond from the past. If we are successful, the portal will reside here, watching my back, just as the Sheikah had done ages ago. Of course this will be well guarded on peaceful terms from my end, and I trust it will be under close watch on yours."

"Yes," Midna replied. "I will make sure of it… once we get back that is."

"Understandable. Link," Zelda turned to the Sheikah. He perked up at his name. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," he spoke determined, meeting bright blue eyes that were the antithesis of his own now. This was it.

"Midna, the Fused Shadows," the Princess spoke, turning her gaze to the other royal once more. The Twilight Princess nodded, summoning her ancient relics and letting them hover about her form, not yet drawing from their still recovering magic and awaiting the instruction of the Hylian.

Zelda turned to Link again, holding out her hand with the palm up. The Sheikah looked to it, then back at the face of the Princess, resting his own palm in hers, the faint symbol of the Goddesses beginning to glow just the slightest. The one of Wisdom placed her other hand over that of the crest of Courage, her own glimmering in response. The Hylian closed her eyes and spoke confidently.

"Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and upon the lands of our world… Please grant me the ability to mend what has been torn by time; to once more create a bond between that of Light and Twilight now that we know the past, and that of the truth…"

The Fused Shadows began to radiate power and Midna watched them in awe. They shone brightly, light emanating from the grooves in the stone just as when the Twili summoned the magic to create the last portal, but this time the brightness seemed much more pure in a way. Link brought his gaze to the sight as well, Zelda opening her eyes a moment later.

Then they were shrouded in darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Regarding the vacant space behind Zelda's throne, that does indeed exist yet it lacks the balcony. You can explore the throne room fully by not triggering the cutscene leading to the final battle upon entering. To do so, you must damage boost out of bounds onto the railing leading to the throne room. By entering through a wall (they lack collisions from the exterior) you can bypass the load zone that triggers the cutscene; thus permitting you to run around like an idiot all throughout the grand hall for as long as you please. (Thanks for teaching me how to do that, Pseudo Twili! Blowing up Zelda's throne was fun! :D)**

 **Oh, it seemed people experienced some feels regarding something in chapter sixteen, and that was kinda foreshadowing for the next chapter… :3 I'm just going to leave you people guessing what I'm talking about until next week. xD You hate me, don't you? Don't worry – the next chapter is going to be long. Probably too much so, but whatever. :P**

 **Also, I do feel as if I should apologize about, well, the seeming lack of effort at this point of the story. A lot has been going on and that leaves me with almost no time whatsoever to put into this fic. Things should be getting better over this next week though. Anyway, you probably won't believe me, but I've been typing such an absurd amount of stuff for school/work/family/free time/etc. that two of my fingernails actually started to bleed. I wish I were kidding...  
**


	24. Sapientia est potentia

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

 _Sapientia est potentia  
_ "Wisdom is Power"

* * *

The Princess of Hyrule opened her eyes, not knowing what to expect but pleased nonetheless with the beautiful sight she was given. Zelda was standing in a courtyard; one she didn't recognize yet knew was on the grounds of Hyrule Castle from the blue flags that stood atop the battlements and towers high above her. Each bore the crest of her family as they snapped in the breeze. Zelda drew her gaze from above and looked around the location in which she resided. The Hylian understood that this was her home from long ago - that what she was witnessing was the past.

Zelda stood on a small stone bridge at the entryway to the garden. A little stream of water flowed beneath it and around the island of land in the center, separating the area from the grey stone walls that reached for the infinity of bright blue sky. In the middle of the hexagonal yard was a small patch of golden flowers, shining like the sun, and beyond that was half a dozen stairs that led to another bridge of sorts which met with the wall opposite of where she stood, stopping before a window. A young girl intently gazed out to whatever lie beyond the glass pane, just as she herself had done upon her imprisonment in her own castle not long after the land succumbed to twilight. Zelda took a step forward, making her way to the center of the courtyard. As she reached the bed of golden flowers, the child turned.

Her gown swung with the movement, the pink in her dress a shade more purple than the flowers in the planters on either side of the half-bridge. Zelda expected an expression of shock from the speed at which the girl spun about, seeming to be unaware of her presence until a moment ago. Instead, a serious face greeted the Hylian.

"You have come," the child spoke solemnly. Her demeanor and countenance was much more mature than one of her tender age should be capable of displaying.

"I see you were expecting me," Zelda answered in the same manner, secretly wondering as to how the child did, but simultaneously knowing deep down.

"In a way, yes. The flow of time is cruel like that. I knew we would meet one day, us being the same soul. The only question was of when. Yet you have come now, and I know you wish to address an important matter," the child reached her hand out towards the royal from the Era of Twilight, displaying the back with the Triforce of Wisdom a moment before turning the palm upward. "Come."

Zelda followed the orders of the child – of her past self – and approached the window.

"Look," the young Zelda instructed the Princess as she knelt before the glass pane. "You see that man?"

"Yes," the elder responded simply. Beyond the cold and clear divider knelt one that was quite recognizable, no matter the era.

"He will come again."

"I understand. Even if it is not by his hand the next time, evil will fall once more."

"And you will do nothing to stop this?"

"I have done all I could in this lifetime," Zelda the elder said, pushing away from the sill yet still gazing beyond. "Is this all you have to address?" she turned to the child, only for the girl to no longer be at her side. Zelda spun around, looking for her other self. Instead of seeing the Princess of Destiny, the blue eyes of the Hylian met the red gaze of a Sheikah warrior.

"No," the one in the garb of the ancient guardians spoke. The attire was quite similar to that of which Zelda had worn during her venture with Link and Midna to the Sacred Grove. Across the front of the outfit was a red eye – this time lacking the tear – symbolizing the shadows of the Royal Family before the war that drove them to another realm. "Do you fully understand the burden you have placed upon those that will follow?" spoke the one wearing an altered version of the guise that Zelda of the Era of Twilight had taken up. The Hylian shook her head in response as she stood confidently.

"It is no burden. The burden would be to leave it all in the dark, to not ever reveal the truth and plague them with a future they are unprepared for. As I have said, I have done all I can in this life. It is up to those that will follow to be guided by our light when once more an era of darkness cloaks this land."

"Wise words. I'm proud to know you and I are the same. I wish I could have seen that in my time. My ignorance caused much suffering," the Sheikah spoke with a hint of sorry.

"But you have taken heed of that, have you not?"

With the statement from the Hylian of the Era of Twilight, the guise slid from the body of the Sheikah before her and in its place stood a small young girl, garbed in a pale pink bonnet and complementary dress – the same child that gazed beyond the window upon the beginning of the vision.

"Yes, I suppose we have," she said with a tender smile. "You may leave now. Thank you for your time."

"No, thank you, Your Highness," Zelda spoke, nodding her head respectfully before turning to make her way over the small bridge opposite the window, walking out of the courtyard.

* * *

The Princess of Twilight resided in the body of an imp, hovering in the serene beauty of her world, yet there was nothing around her – nothing but the familiar glow and drifting geometric particles of the realm known as her home.

But was she home?

No. She wasn't.

The Twili looked to her hands; the tiny digits seemed as fragile as twigs and the lines on her skin painfully reminded her of those that plagued Link. Midna sighed. These markings were a curse of sorts, weren't they? It proved her people were corrupted… but they had moved on. They had become peaceful and free of the pained past. She knew that as a fact.

The sound of footsteps in the void broke the thoughts of the Twili, summoning memories from not all that many days – or nights – past. With all that had happened, she had forgotten about the nightmare that plagued her slumber, simply brushing it aside as nothing but a negative manifestation of her struggles. She didn't realize until now that it was a warning. A warning she hadn't taken heed of.

Fear gripped her like a vise and Midna's mind whirled as she tried to frantically recall the message she was given before and what it could mean now that she seemed to be facing it as reality. The rhythmic steps became louder, and although there was nothing to stand on in the emptiness, the echoing of feet fell heavily on what sounded like stone. Midna spun about to face someone she had never before seen clearly yet knew she had confronted before.

The robes the man wore were vaguely similar to those of Zant's – and her own that she had given to the Sheikah. The pattern on Midna's cloak which had become Link's adorned the front of the stranger's garment, and upon clearly seeing him, the Princess could tell he looked less like a Twili and more like a resident of Hyrule, even though she knew for a fact that he was the former from the eerily familiar eye that lacked a tear as it seemed to stare into her very soul from where it was embroidered onto the cloth.

"Who are you?" Midna asked apprehensively, fearing the response that she knew would come. In reply the stranger smiled. A twisted smile - one that reminded the Twilight Princess of Zant - sent a shiver down her tiny impish spine.

"Who am I? Who am _I_ , you ask? Midna, my dearest Midna… You know this already, as we have met before. Do you forget?"

No, she didn't forget, and she couldn't upon seeing it all with her own eyes once more. The Princess was only stalling as she tried to fully grasp what was playing out before her. She feared she wasn't prepared for what would come to pass, but the impish Twili didn't have a choice now. She had to face the truth – whatever that may be – here and now.

"I am the true King of Shadows that wished to free our people from this accursed realm long ago! I attempted to unite Light and Shadow by strengthening the dark magic our family held and forcing the Mirror open from our side. You know this history that I am! Why do you play ignorant?"

"I…" she drifted, holding her tiny hand before her face and inspecting it. She knew all that in a way before he spoke. She had sensed it, sensed the instability of him, of the past mistakes. Her ancestor continued as she brought her corrupted appendage to hang loosely at her side once more.

"I was driven mad! My attempt to bring together the two worlds proved to be for naught! I simply wanted to make darkness! Just as Zant did, just as _you_ are doing here!"

His words caused the Princess to snap. She tensed for a moment before viciously rebutting his statement

"I am not making darkness, I am letting each know of the other's existence. I am showing the truth, not lies like what you hide behind!"

"Lies? I don't hide behind lies! I am not a lie!" he shouted, cackling maniacally. Midna shivered, yet tried not to let it show. He seemed erratic. "No, I am not a lie," he spoke a moment later, suddenly composed. "What our people did… I have told the truth, and you know it. So Midna, will you follow me? Will you take the same path I have, _Twilight Princess?_ "

"No!" She shrieked; shrill impish voice piercing the void as she bore her fang. The one before her simply ignored the aggressive response she gave him.

"Look at yourself! You're cursed just as we all are! Cursed to be in the shadows! You cannot consort with their kind unless you wish for dominance over them just as I have, just as Zant had!"

"But we are of their kind!" she shouted back, not expecting herself to snap yet again after doing so only a moment before. The cursed Twili was unable to contain her aggression, letting the words flow without thought.

"We originated in the Light. We weren't Hylians, but we were by their side! Even if we were cast into the darkness, a shadow cannot exist without a source to create it! We _can't_ destroy them, and I _will not_ succumb to the darkness in that way!"

Midna was shocked at how confidently she spoke. It seemed the more he angered her, the more enthusiasm and drive she had to do what she saw was right, free of fear now. Maybe the warning of the dream prepared her for this deeply in her subconscious, it only surfacing once she faced the ordeal.

"Really now?" the King of Shadows from the past spoke, twisted smile on his face once more - only to slip away a moment later, seriousness taking hold. "Think on it all. Have you forgotten our past? Our people's history with those light dwellers? What had happened…" he drifted, smiling again. A moment later he disappeared into particles of twilight. Midna looked around frantically for him, completely still as her gaze cautiously scanned that of her empty surroundings. Suddenly the Princess felt warm breath on her neck but when she tried to move, Midna found she was unable. "It all worked in our advantage…"

Suddenly the imp was freed from the invisible force that had bound her up until a moment ago, squirming and falling to the nonexistent ground as she stared up at the King of Shadows who hadn't stopped speaking.

"The spirit of the one you love hadn't been born into the right world in that time! With my power though… with the blessing I had been given so ironically, I was able to escape from my imprisonment in another world and wreak havoc!"

Midna stared in horror as she realized that this just wasn't one of her ancestors… it was also the spirit of Evil from ages past; born into her kind and forced into the Twilight Realm only to fail escaping, dying from madness and after much time reborn once more to another form… one she had known and fought herself.

"He on the other hand… _he_ was stuck somewhere beyond the influence of the Goddesses themselves! I know not where, but I thank him for it. Without the lack of Courage in the time long past, the Interloper War wouldn't have come to pass… but then too our imprisonment wouldn't have either…"

Midna was confused. The demon of sorts before her seemed to simultaneously blame and praise Link's previous lives. It was true. He _had_ been driven mad. Nothing he said made sense. After a few moments the Princess spoke, trying to confirm something that came to her mind with his words.

"So… he didn't run away?" she asked as she stood.

"Run away? He never had the chance to! No matter how much he wished - if he indeed did - he couldn't flee! He was imprisoned! Like I have spoken already, I do not know where or how, but he was unable to follow his destiny for whatever reason."

Those words relieved Midna, knowing that Link hadn't abandoned who he was in the past. He would be glad to know that as well.

"But since he wasn't able to do anything, look what we did instead! The blood is on your hands too, _Twilight Princess._ Look," her ancestor spoke, gaze drifting to Midna's feet. The current ruler of the Twili followed his sight and gasped at what she witnessed. Once more she was in her true form, but at her bare feet in a pool of blood was the broken body of an all too familiar Hylian - one recognizable no matter the era.

"Z-Zelda…?" Midna's voice shook as she suddenly felt cold at the sight before her. The Twili knew it was the Hylian royal, even if this wasn't the same Princess she had come to know personally; the quickly fading crest of the Goddesses on the back of her hand proof enough. The one before her lay sprawled in an unnatural position, iced eyes vacantly staring into nothing as pale skin starkly contrasted the bright red liquid oozing from various gashes and soaking into the fine silks that had been torn to look like nothing more than scraps of cloth scantly covering her form. The Twili reached her hand out towards the deceased royal, only to see her own skin dripping with the bright liquid that until recently coursed through the veins of Hyrule's wisest one.

"So what will you do now? You know this – or worse – is fully possibly if you indeed bring together the two once more."

"N-No…" Midna spoke shakily, drawing her eyes from the corpse before her and focusing her intent gaze on the one standing a short distance away. He was toying with her in his twisted way, and the Princess knew that. All this was an illusion to get her to break down and succumb to the wishes of the darkness. The Twilight Princess took a deep breath before speaking. "We are peaceful now… we understand our mistakes… We understand them and know that even though this is possible, much worse may come to pass if we do not take heed of what has happened," the Twili spoke, voice becoming more and more confident with every word. She stepped over the body of the deceased Princess, which disappeared into fragments of twilight with her action.

"You say that bringing the two together would create nothing but suffering, in effect making the past repeat," Midna's pace increased as she neared the King of Shadows. He took a step back from her, expression no longer menacing but instead almost fearful. "But no, you are trying to convince me to keep them separated by using that logic. It's what you want! You know that if Link's soul is born in a world other than the one you come into, then you will have your way… You will once more try to destroy it all. I can't let that happen…" the voice of the Twili drifted and she began to glow. The blood that was on her hands turned to a liquid golden light and the corrupt ancestor of hers cowered at the sight. "So I will prepare ourselves for the future."

The glowing liquid light slipped from her hands, falling to land in the nothingness at Midna's feet. A quiet _plop_ echoed around the twilit void and from where the liquid made contact with seemingly nothing; four orbs of familiar light drifted from the point, growing larger as they came to Midna's eye level.

Suddenly, their brightness grew, forcing the Twili to avert her eyes. Once she brought her gaze back, the King of Shadows was gone and the four Light Spirits hovered before her in the void.

"You are wise for one not possessing the blessing of the Goddesses," a call echoed. Midna wondered if it belonged to the ethereal beings in her presence. The sound wasn't a singular voice, but rather many. It seemed like a choir of young and old speaking to her. "What you say is true… We are stronger together."

"Yes," Midna replied, thoughts suddenly going to Link now that she had banished the threat around her. "We are always stronger together… That is why I must do this. It's what his parents wished, too…" she drifted, wondering what Link was facing at this very moment. "I hope one day soon he's willing to reveal everything he keeps hidden, but until then I'll be patient. After all, I know I have to do the same as well."

"We all do… so we shall show you the choice you must make in order to bring about that reality… to create a portal once more, you must make a sacrifice."

"A… sacrifice?" Midna asked tentatively. She somehow had the vaguest feeling that those words were coming and feared what they meant, but the possibility for something better that lie beyond was more promising that whatever she would have to give. At least the Princess hoped so.

"Yes… You are here for that, are you not? The Fused Shadows are a power not meant for a time of peace or of worlds no longer plagued with hatred. Although struggling and pain are inevitable once more, this ancient sorcery will do nothing to either aid or hinder those events if kept in this form. They have served their purpose forevermore. So, will you give them up? Are you willing to make this the truth? To forever destroy that of your ancestors? Think on it. You may be eager, but think on what this magic means to you."

Midna did as she was instructed, recalling all the events that centered on the Fused Shadows. Their creation was the birth of the struggle against the Hylians, the starting point for the ones that defected from their masters to throw the world into chaos. Sacrificing them would be best… but they also held another meaning. They were, in a sense, her crown for a time – sins that followed her wherever she went, constantly making the Twili contemplate her people's history on her journey with the one she had grown to love. They were a power that allowed for so much, but they were also a power that had brought upon even more. They needed to be remembered for what they had done so pain and suffering from them would not come to pass in a future time.

"Yes," she spoke simply after a pause she felt lasted a moment and simultaneously an eternity. The gaze of the Princess was determined as she looked to the spirits before her. "They are no longer needed in this form, yet they must live on in another. They must be remembered as to never again let what has happened repeat, and I understand that."

The spirits looked at her in silence following the words Midna spoke. As the time dragged on she began to wonder if they would approve of her decision. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak once more, they replied.

"We accept your choice, Princess of Twilight, and we thank you for it."

The Light Spirits nodded to Midna with those words and the Twili let out a sigh of relief as she drew the Fused Shadows from where she magically stored them. Each piece came to hover before the respective guardian that sealed it; the fragment that adorned her head as a crown now in the care of Ordonia – just as it would have been if her kind hadn't managed to frailly grasp it and drag the accursed power with them during their banishment.

The Princess watched with patience as the already worn stone began to age further; each segment becoming enveloped in light as the grooves wore down to a smooth surface like a blank slate, allowing for a new history to be carved in another form. The Twili watched almost sadly as the ancient stone started to crumble into dust, eventually disappearing into nothingness. It had been her only hope of sorts on her journey with Link to stop Zant. No, it wasn't the only hope and no, she wasn't sad because it. She was happy. That horrid power was gone now. It was becoming something new, being reborn.

It was part of the cycle.

Bad and good, they continue in a pattern. That pattern can never be broken, but it mustn't be gone against. That was the lesson Zelda had wished for the Twili to grasp, and silently the Princess of the world of Twilight thanked that of her Hylian counterpart as the final speck of dust from the ancient relics winked out of existence.

* * *

Nothingness.

That's what he saw all around him: blackness, devoid of warmth even. A shiver went down his spine at the nihility that somehow seemed to press inward on the Sheikah. Link didn't want to ever face this again, and fear took its tight hold. He forced himself to inhale deeply for a few moments. No, he wouldn't be afraid. He would embrace the courage his soul still held and would forevermore as part of the choice he made during the previous trial within himself; the choice that was right and had been reinforced by those close to him with their subtle kindness of simple presence that he had begun to fully see only now that their existence wasn't on this plane.

Link thought back on the last time he was in a darkened void, alone. He recalled every word spoken, now knowing that some were lies and others were truths, but still confused about some things. He thought on everything he experienced in his nightmare from before, wondering what to address first and if any further truths would come to light in this darkness. Eventually, after a long time of silent thought, the Sheikah spoke cautiously; his own voice echoing around him as he addressed something he hadn't cared to think on in depth, but suddenly came vastly important now that he was _here_ once more.

"Is… the Sacred Realm really within me?" the once Hero questioned, afraid of the answer to the query he asked to no one, knowing – no, hoping – that _something_ would reply to his frail call. After a few lengthy moments that he felt lasted an eternity, brightness filled the expanse, causing the Sheikah to close his red eyes. With the words that belonged to one he had never before heard, he opened them once more.

"You can say the Sacred Realm is within all of us," a divine voice spoke. "It, just like everything in existence, is a creation of the Goddesses. It is all connected; everything is part of a greater cycle. Even the Interlopers had that pureness within them; yet they were blinded - unable to see the light they held and instead shunned it. For they could not be what they had become without at least a soft glow to cast the deep darkness within their hearts."

"Who are you?" Link asked; eyes wide as he vaguely recognized the woman, her simple white gown swaying in a nonexistent breeze as long blond hair almost hovered about her weightlessly. She seemed to have features familiar to Zelda, Midna, and somehow himself as well as every person he had ever seen in this life and that of the one he had witnessed during his time within himself at the Sacred Grove.

"I am Hylia," she smiled, dipping her head the slightest. "I protected what the Goddesses left behind, acting as a watchful eye over their creations. I do not know why they departed from what they brought into existence, as that is a mystery even to me. All that I understood is it was my duty to witness what they created. Then without warning they intervened from wherever they hid; telling the Light Spirits to seal the darkened power your dearest one currently possesses. All I could ever do until this moment of our meeting was watch. For I cannot interact on the same plane as you without assistance, this aid provided by the spirits you have summoned. In a sense, I am a guardian of sorts. I am also known as the Goddess of Time. I have witnessed everything, unable to directly take part in anything myself unless aid is provided. The Golden Goddesses have more power in that sense than I, although they had abandoned their creations and I took up their duty for a time. A time before I shed my divinity in a legend of long ago. In a way it is because of me that the curse seen as a blessing is placed upon you, and that of Zelda too. She is I, reborn as a mortal."

"Then… who am I? You say Zelda's soul is yours…" Link asked, eye wide from shock upon knowing that the one before him was the first form of the Hylian Princess.

"You…" she drifted, gaze sorrowfully falling from his face only to a moment later meet his red eyes with her own that seemed to rapidly shift though every color known, blending into an ethereal glow. "Link, you are very special. Your spirit is one of great mystery. In each life you have been different, but your essence the same. You have lived many times - many pains and imprisonments, many joys and freedoms and possibly most important: many loves by the simple happiness of being near the side of one you would do anything for. Your first self… not even I truly know, but that matters not. Every era, whatever you have been, you have risen to accept your duty. You need to see now that you are no longer plagued by it, happiness waits. Yet you must take action and grasp it quickly, before it slips into the darkness we all carry within us to balance that of the light. You hesitate, falter with each step you take… For this is your way in this life, and I know of it. Yet you must expose the truth soon, even if there is the risk of a greater pain… because even one as pure as I isn't solely of truths," Hylia's gaze became hurt, and Link couldn't help but feel sadness deep within himself from the Goddess that was somehow a part of all living beings, just as the Sacred Realm was.

"I must accept that as truth from what I have put the ones dear to me through by keeping secrets; hiding who I am and what I was… I have pained them but haven't clung to that sorrow," she reached her hand out and Link looked to it. "Kneel, and take this blessing as a final test. For from the endurance of momentary pain comes happiness in the wake of sorrow."

For a few moments the Sheikah stared at the extended appendage of the Goddess before him, contemplating her words and what this last ordeal of his would be. Link took a deep breath, gently resting the palm of his hand on that of the Hylia's; faint mark of courage visible to the divinity from where the symbol gazed upward. With her touch, Link was given a vision.

Color suddenly flooded his senses and next to him sat a woman in a pick dress, her feet dangling in the water of the pond below as the two rested atop a rock. She gently caressed a golden lyre as she turned her head, bright blue eyes meeting his while she laughed.

"So, what do you think?"

Link felt his mouth hang open. Just as during the time in the Sacred Realm within himself and the visions of the Hero's Shade, he had no control over his words or actions.

"But… you're a Goddess – you're Hylia. I —" She cut him off, pointing a finger at his face and causing his eyes to cross as he tried to focus his sight on her elegant digit.

"No, you don't understand. _I'm_ not Hylia," she drew her hand away, relaxing once more; face somewhat sorrowful as she took a deep breath, drawing her gaze from his to look down at the water as she watched small fish swim about her toes. Link sensed what the one before him was about to say would be possibly the most important and wisest thing she ever told him, even though he had never met this the blond-haired woman before but knew the two of them were deeply intertwined in a past life – the life he was witnessing here. Eventually she met his gaze.

"Sorry… I'm not Hylia anymore, I mean. I only want everything to go back to normal and us to be, well, us. As for me being the Goddess… that's something in the past. We have to embrace who we are right now, and who we were before all the pain began, what we came to know of one another as we grew up side-by-side. We can't forget what's happened but at the same time, we can't be held back by it. Moving forward while being guided by wisdom from the past…" she drifted, looking down to the harp in her lap.

"We can run from it, we can fear it... but there is something we must never do." She looked up to him, face unreadable. "We must never forget it. Long kept secrets breed hatred and pain. It will happen again – I know it will, and there isn't any way to prevent it…" her voice drifted once more and her sight fell. Not a second passed before her bright blue irises gazed into his again. "But… there is a way to learn from it. The next time the Evil comes, we just might be ready. We can shorten the suffering and lengthen the happiness. The peace that follows is something we deserve from the knowledge we acquire and pass on to the ones who must face it next."

The girl sighed after her short speech, leaning her shoulder against his. She was silent for a few moments, absentmindedly plucking one of the strings on the lyre. She let the sound fade to nothingness around them before propping her chin on his shoulder, their faces close.

"Even after all this, it doesn't matter what I have been or the changes I've gone through. I'm still your Zelda and… I hope you can be mine, Link."

Link felt his mouth curve into a smile.

"After all we've endured to be by the side of the other again, there is no one else I'd rather spend my life with. Besides," she spoke, grinning. The one who was previously a divine being pulled back from him and sat fully upright, drawing her fingers across the stings of the lyre as she continued. "You'll still need someone to make sure you wake up in the mornings, don't you, Sleepyhead?"

The two of them laughed and the vision faded, colors becoming muted and blurring into nothingness. Not a moment later a much darker sight greeted Link. He was standing alone in ankle deep water that glowed golden, the color the only light in the blackness. Hylia was nowhere to be seen and the shallow sea extended out into darkness for infinity. This scenery was just as when Zelda had asked the then Hero to lend his abilities during the final battle with Ganondorf. The Sheikah looked down to the water that lapped at his boots, his shadow slipping away from him and coming to hover before Link. It was a little imp, one all too familiar with a single pointed tooth jutting out over her lip as she let out a laugh – that beautiful, wonderful, and memorable laugh that meant so very much to him.

Link couldn't help but smile at the comforting noise. The imp's face took on a serious expression and a moment later she summoned the dark magic of her – of, in a way, their – ancestors. The Fused Shadows hovered around the small cursed form as her large flaming eyes followed them. The ancient magic then converged on the tiny body of the one that accompanied him, enveloping her small shape in the foreboding stone mask of dark sorcery. Bright light flooding the once-Hero's vision and after it faded, the royal stood before him.

Link stared in shock at the transformed Twili; just as he had done when he first laid eyes on her true form.

"What? Say something? Am I so beautiful you have no words left?" she joked, same laugh - albeit a little deeper - echoed about her as she tilted her head the slightest. As the chortle faded the royal took a step towards him, suddenly stopping a moment later and balling her hands into fists, face once more becoming serious as a single tear slid down the pale blue skin of her cheek. Link's expression turned to one of concern at the abrupt sorrow of the Princess. "See you later," she mumbled, quickly turning on her heel and walking away from him.

Link gasped, rushing towards the Twili, but she was faster, her pace increasing as he attempted to chase after the one he loved. The glow of the water slowly faded to nothing; the only proof of its presence came from the splashing of their feet as the two ran into the unknown. Link was losing her. She was becoming distant - fading into the blackness around them, the subtle aquamarine glow of the markings on her skin the only thing still visible in the darkness he suddenly found to be so very oppressing.

Link's strides became more difficult - his feet refusing to follow the orders of his brain. The Hero looked down. Ice had now begun to crawl up his legs, binding him in place to the water that had before seemed so pure and innocent. His gaze traveled from the ground, distressed as he watched her run further and further into the void, leaving him behind just as she attempted to do the day she shattered the Mirror, but this time so much closer to succeeding.

"Midna!" Link shouted in what he thought would be a vain attempt at stopping her. With his cry the ice unexpectedly shattered, freeing him from his prison. The royal abruptly came to a halt at his word, her feet no longer sloshing in the liquid. The Sheikah was frozen for a moment even though the cold prison no longer bound him, unbelieving that simply calling her name had worked. He began to run, memories of the moment the Light Spirits brought her back to him as he crested the hill in Hyrule Field flooded his mind.

After what he swore was an eternity, he finally reached her; grabbing the hand of the Twili to make sure she wouldn't leave him behind again - alone once more. Slowly she turned to face the Sheikah, tear still gradually making its way down her skin. Before it could reach her chin, Link lifted his arm; extending his hand towards her face and wiping away the single shining drop of precious liquid with a sorrowful expression on his own face.

"Don't go," he spoke, pained and confused by her actions.

"But you tried to leave me even though you said you cared… You locked yourself away from me just when I thought we could be happy together. Link, I'm just doing what you did. It hurts so much to see you not being yourself like before you became ill. I can tell you're trying to get away in a sense. Now that you're better, I thought everything would be back to how it should but… it isn't. So if it means you will be back to your normal happy self, then I'll not just give you space, but leave for good."

"What are you saying? That's not true! It would hurt more if you were gone, so, so much more. I-I love you… I just don't want to see you hurt and I'm back to how I was before, not distancing myself from you," he stuttered, struggling to keep his voice even. He couldn't lose her. Not after everything they had gone through. Somehow it felt as if she ran from him here, she would forever leave him in the world of Light and return to her own - just as she had attempted to do over a year past.

"Then why did you act like that? Why were you being so different with me? You know I love you too. Link, this shouldn't be so hard for us… after all we've faced together."

For a while there was a cold silence between them, Link breaking it as he slowly spoke words he had no intention of finishing, not knowing just exactly how to explain his actions that he had now learned from and had begun to change for good.

"Because… I…" his voice drifted into the nothingness of their surroundings, not knowing how to respond.

She looked to him, tilting her head the slightest. "What? Princess still got your tongue?" her joke was only half-hearted; smile detached from emotion. Without a word he suddenly embraced her, burying his face against the crook of her neck. The Sheikah hadn't realized how much he'd changed since he first held her close the day the Mirror shattered, and just how much the two of them had gone through because of that now shattered ancient relic. His newfound height was partly an attribute of the Sheikah blood within him that had caused his physical pains since returning from the Sacred Grove, his body adapting to that of what he was now.

Midna rested her hand on his head, ruffling Link's hair as she let out a small chuckle.

"Then just be yourself. You know you can tell me anything you want whenever you want, okay? Let's not keep doing this. I liked what we had going before. We were on the right track then."

Link drew back, ignoring his messy bangs from the process of her disheveling them and instead focusing all his attention on the beautiful Twili that stood in his presence; even if she was merely an illusion of the one he loved as the once-Hero was tested in his devotion to that of the woman he saved and had come to deeply care for. The Sheikah hadn't noticed when his eyes began to water, obscuring his view of her. Link nodded at the words of the Twili; in response a genuine smile displayed on Midna's face.

"See you later, Link."

And with that, the Twilight Princess disappeared into little black square fragments of the familiar magic that the two had come to know so well from their time spent together.

* * *

The three that had done much in saving two worlds opened their eyes to be greeted with an awe inducing sight. Before them stood the gateway that once more connected the realms of Light and Twilight. They had finally done it; created a portal to bring them together permanently once more - and it was stunning. It looked vastly different from the one created by the Mirror of Twilight and it didn't hold the serene beauty of the previous gateway, but nonetheless the door still had its own allure.

A glow emanated from the portal; light from the markings drew the gazes that looked upon it across the surface of the newly rebirthed powers. The gateway had features of that from the world of Light in addition to the Twili magic reminiscent of the Fused Shadows, but now pure and uncorrupted. Around the edge were golden twisting runes that resembled those seen on the bodies of the Light Spirits and their orbs of power. As these markings snaked their way inward, they began to transition into that of the ancient Twili magic, runes becoming less like those on the Light Spirits and more similar to the patterns seen in the Twilight Realm. Eventually the symbols began to turn into a spiral design, exactly the same as what was in the center of the portals that dotted Hyrule during the time of the battle between the forces of light and dark.

Within the very core surrounded by a small section of blackness, where the markings similar to the warping portals began to fade, was the mark of the Divine Three. A shimmering Triforce was directly in the middle of the gateway and within the hollow place between the three connected triangles hovered the symbol of the Sheikah; eye wisely gazing outward and single shining tear slipping from the bottom lid, but the tear that fell from it was not one of sorrow, hate, or regret. No - it was made of the purest golden light that held understanding and knowledge.

Zelda eventually let out a breath she wasn't aware of holding and the two to either side of the Hylian royal drew their gazes from the sight, looking to one another.

Link turned to face Midna and smiled widely, a single tear streaming down his face. After the event, the Sheikah wasn't afraid or hurt, but rather, greatly relieved. There was one final step, and knowing he had faced everything so far, Link truly felt he was ready for the last thing he needed to do, even if nervousness still gripped him tightly.

The Twilight Princess didn't expect Link to give her a look of joy so pure it held a tear, she and almost jumped back in shock from the sight. She wondered what he could have possibly witnessed to show emotions such as that. Upon seeing her reaction Link quickly wiped his forearm across his face.

"It has been done," Zelda spoke with relief, the red eyes of the other two settled on the Princess a moment or so later. "We have once more brought together Light and Twilight, but not to create darkness. We have done this to pass on knowledge and to learn from what has happened. I thank both of you for your efforts."

"No," Midna spoke, the others turning to her. "I… thank you Zelda. I should have seen it; back on the day I shattered the Mirror… We could have avoided all this if only I never used my powers. I should have stopped to think everything through. All I've done… I've been selfish in a way, thinking I knew best. We could have opened up the two realms then, ridding both worlds of the heavy secret they were bound with… but I was afraid and ignorant," the Twili explained, briefly looking to her hand that would nevermore be that of an imp's before her gaze once more settled on the other Princess.

"We cannot change the course of history, only learn from it," Zelda replied. "What you have done here is proof that we have come far since the days of the Interloper War. Mistakes are meant to happen for a reason. Without them, we would never learn or understand and be stuck in a vicious cycle of regret. Now that we have experienced a time of sorrow, we can finally attain what has been out of reach for so long. It will not last forever, but it is something we must embrace now. We are stronger together and very well may not have succeeded in any of the ordeals that have come to pass without each other's aid. We need to keep the worlds of Light and Twilight in balance, connected in peace and sharing the knowledge of one with the other.

"The Goddesses designed the Sheikah to watch over and protect the Royal Family. I believe that indirectly the creation of the Twili was meant to do the same, in a way of sorts. The Twili are meant to show that even with past transgressions, we can heal our wounds and move forward, not be trapped by and in the past. It is a design we should meet with all of our actions. Hopefully then we will be better prepared for whatever comes to pass in the future before us. Evil will return again no matter what. It is a never-ending cycle as I am sure the two of you have come to understand. The form it will take and when it appears, there is no way of knowing… but for now we must live in this peace. It is the happiness we deserve from the struggles we have had to endure."

"Wise words as always, Zelda," the Twili replied once the Light Princess finished her short speech. The Hylian ruler smiled softly and Link nodded, expression the same as that of Zelda's.

"So this is finally it…" he drifted, countenance becoming serious once more as he tore his eyes from the other two to look upon the gateway.

"For now, yes," Zelda spoke. "I do believe you have much to address in the world of Twilight upon your arrival back there, and I expect sometime in the near future that you will once more cross back, bringing news of your realm's status, will you not, Midna?" the Hylian addressed the Twili.

"Yes. I'll inform my people about what's happened and that the world of Light is now once again connected to ours. The council will be interested in all this and I think they will be looking forward to it."

Link sighed, bringing his gaze back to the others. "I'll have more work as well now."

Midna smiled a bit. It wasn't exactly a full smile, knowing that all this did indeed give Link more work. She thought on it for a moment and her smiled grew the slightest bit wider.

"Then I believe you two finally understand everything, do you not?" Zelda spoke. She wished to confirm that they would be able to mend their bond once and for all; never again allowing themselves to hurt one another in this way. If indeed they struggled again, she would gladly provide support. The Princess just hoped they didn't have to suffer any more than they had. After what she said and what they must have faced just moments ago, Zelda understood that the two wished to move forward now just as much as she wanted them to.

"Yeah… I'm sorry. I didn't think my actions through either when I followed Midna to the Twilight Realm. It's partially my fault, but from everything I've faced, I've learned from it... and I'll keep learning like you said, Zelda," the Sheikah drifted, looking to the Triforce on the back of his hand. It wasn't as obvious on his skin as it was before the ordeal in the Sacred Grove, but it hadn't completely left him, and it never would. Link thought he finally understood everything fully. His bright red eyes looked back up to Midna. "Ready then? I know you've been wanting to go back… and I do too, especially since I know we can come here again."

"Link…" Zelda drifted as Midna took a step towards the Sheikah and the portal. "I do understand that the two of you are eager to return, and I too wish for you to do so, but do you think it would be best to wait a short time before you enter the Twilight Realm once again?"

"What do you mean?" Midna asked concerned. She was itching to go home, but also knew the Hylian would have valid reason for delaying their departure. Zelda wouldn't prevent them from their happiness without a deeper meaning.

"Although we have created another portal to that realm once more, we must keep in mind the form of this magic is new. It may not be immediately stable. I hope you can understand my precaution and possibly wait a day before you go forth," Zelda spoke seriously, a mild smile filling her face a moment later. "In the meantime I do wish for you two to enjoy yourselves, maybe even leaving the castle grounds now that you will be able to freely travel between worlds without regrets. I will make a formal announcement to my people of our alliance once you have enlightened your council, Midna. Yet in the meantime I do hope it isn't a trouble if you can be cloaked if you decide to venture out of the castle."

Link and Midna looked to one another, remembering the terror of the unstable portal collapsing upon their arrival in Hyrule.

"With the power of the Light Spirits having aided in the redistribution of the ancient magic I believe I am being far to vigilant, but I do wish to be cautious. This time tomorrow evening should prove to be ideal for your return," Zelda spoke reassuringly, looking out the balcony past that of the portal; her blue eyes reflecting the almost twilight glow of the slowly setting sun beyond. It was the same time of day that their initial departure upon the shattering of the Mirror took place. It seemed the creation of this new gateway took longer than the three had anticipated if the light was drawing to a close. Yet maybe that wasn't a coincidence, the hour of twilight cloaking the land exactly as it had a year past during the event opposite of what the three had just endured.

"No, you're right," Link spoke, following Zelda's gaze for a moment, then bringing his sight back to the Twili next to him. The Princess of Hyrule looked to the two before her as the Sheikah continued. "I also think we should wait a bit. Now that we know we can travel freely back and forth, I'd like to finally go out and see Castle Town for a bit, even if people are wrapping up for the day."

"Excellent. I will leave you two and see if I may be able to inform some of my council regarding our success thus far," the Hylian replied with a nod, the ones before her returning the gesture before the Princess briskly turned and walked away to attend to her duties that she had fallen behind on.

Once she rounded the front of the throne, the Hylian and Sheikah met the eyes of the other.

"You have plans?" Midna asked, brow raised.

"Well…" he drifted for a moment. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to Telma's."

* * *

After finding something to cloak the features of the Princess, she and the Sheikah set out to Castle Town. Link wasn't as overwhelmed by the crowds as he had been before. It was in part thanks to the fact that many were packing up their wares for the day and heading home, but also due to Link almost completely having become adjusted to his Sheikah senses.

"Do you have any special reason for wanting to go to Telma's?" Midna asked as they made their way down the south street.

"I just thought we'd let her know about the portal. Yeah, I know she said she didn't want to get caught up in everything when she left us outside Castle Town, but still. I feel like we owe her at least that. Besides, it's not like she'll be able to stay away from it all considering that the Twilight Realm and Hyrule are now connected."

"You have a point," Midna laughed as they made their way down the stairs leading to the woman's establishment. This lightheartedness between her and Link made the Princess feel wonderful. The Sheikah held the door open to let the Twili enter, and the two stepped over the threshold into the familiar bar.

"Welcome to –" the owner of the pub stopped mid-sentence, realizing who her patrons were as she looked up from the counter she was leaning against and tapping her fingers on. A smile spread across her face at the sight of the Sheikah and cloaked Princess accompanying him. "Well, well. What brings you two here?" Telma asked, standing fully upright. She was a bit surprised to see them, but simultaneously glad the two decided to drop by her place before going to the other world, whenever they would return, that is.

"We wanted to let you know something and needed a bit of time away from the castle," Link spoke as he and Midna approached the counter. The pub owner glanced around her bar, noticing that the only person present was the town doctor, sleeping at the end of the counter as usual. For some reason it had been a surprisingly slow day, especially at this time, but maybe that was for the best. She could focus on her guests.

"What would that be?" Telma questioned as she began preparing two mugs, filling them each with a separate drink and setting them on the worn wooden surface between her and her customers.

"Well, it's kind of a lot," Link spoke as he reached for the mug that was before him. The Sheikah took a sip; a questioning yet mildly happy expression crossing his face as he swallowed the white liquid he was given. "Ordon goat milk?"

"I thought you'd like it hun," she spoke with a wink. "I stocked up from our travel south. I'll be frank and say I'm surprised you didn't notice it on our journey back, but I do suppose that could be expected thanks to what you had endured and all that was on your mind. Besides, you didn't have to sleep next to it. So, as you were saying?"

"We have some good news," Midna interjected, speaking before Link had a chance. The Sheikah gladly let her take over, savoring the familiar taste of his favorite drink. Something he had wondered if he'd ever be able to enjoy again, but now...

"Link and I will be traveling back to my kingdom tomorrow, but we hope to visit again in the near future, and I think you'll be glad to have more customers," the Twili continued.

"What do you mean?" Telma asked; glancing to the mug she placed before the Twili. Midna picked it up a moment later but didn't yet drink any of the golden liquid in the container.

"As you know from Zelda's tale on our way back here, I had shattered the Mirror that was the previous connection between my world and this one, but Link and I managed to cross between the two by creating a temporary portal that drained the magic of my ancestors, " the Princess explained. Telma nodded, recalling the explanation. Ever since then she'd so far managed to mostly understand it all, but was curious as to where the conversation was going. She saw from Midna's actions and the royal Hylian's tale that the past of the Twili was wrought with strife, but much had changed with time.

"Thanks to Zelda's help and the power of the Light Spirits, well, long story short, we made a permanent one," Link finished.

The leader of the Resistance looked between the two before her, mouth hanging open the slightest.

"So you're saying you can go freely back and forth now? Just as it was before?"

Midna nodded in reply, speaking after a moment as she tapped the nails of one hand on the side of her mug.

"Yes. We're in the process of getting everything finalized between the two realms. When we return tomorrow I'll have the paperwork approved by my council and then at some point Zelda will make a formal announcement of it all. Knowledge will be brought to light for the general public and our realms treated as neighboring countries in a sense."

Link nodded with the Twili's words, Telma smiling.

"Well, I think this calls for a celebration, don't you hun?" the bartender spoke with enthusiasm, taking Link's now empty mug and refilling it as he smiled in reply to her question.

Midna took a sip of her own drink while watching the two. Immediately she slammed the container on the counter, causing some of the liquid inside to slosh out. Link and Telma snapped their heads to the side to look at the Princess with wide shocked eyes. The Twili forced herself to swallow before speaking, face twisted in an unpleasant expression.

"Tastes like rotten apples…"

"You don't like cider, hun? I got this batch in just yesterday and haven't yet taste tested it myself, but if it's bad…"

Link stared at Midna, then the mug of hers that sat on its lonesome on the counter.

"I suppose that could be why it cost me so little," Telma spoke, reaching for the drink and taking a sip herself, only to grimace. The Sheikah looked between the two, their expressions absurd. Link couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, and soon he was laughing so hard he almost fell off of the barstool.

Once Midna managed to suppress the unpleasant taste, she joined him in his joyous action and was soon followed by Telma. From there on the three spent the rest of the evening talking and drinking Ordon goat milk while the town doctor slept through it all.

* * *

The next day they prepared for their departure to the other realm. Little needed to be done thanks to the fact that the two hardly brought anything with them, and Zelda arranged much behind the scenes during Link's strange actions upon their arrival at the castle. Now they were back to normal completely and fully. The two could move forward.

Link and Midna decided to simply walk throughout Castle Town, admiring the changes it had undergone over the course of the year they had been in the other world. After some time they left through one of the side gates, making their way towards the crumbling amphitheater and away from the crowds the Sheikah had found to be overwhelming now that the market was at the peak of its busy period. He thought he would be used to his senses by now, but maybe he still needed more time.

After settling on the worn stone steps, the two looked out towards the Great Bridge of Hylia at the afternoon sun. Silently Midna pulled two apples from beneath her cloak, handing one to Link without drawing her eyes from the view.

The Sheikah looked to the bright red fruit, taking what she offered from the hand of the Princess.

"Do you have an infinite supply of these in some sort of twilight pocket of yours?" Link asked, taking a bite of the juicy food and once more gazing into the distance. Midna laughed the slightest, sinking her teeth into her own fruit and chewing for a few seconds then swallowing before she spoke.

"Hmm… Maybe. The apple thing is going to be regular between us now, okay?" the Twili replied. Link grinned, as he chewed, a little juice dribbling out of the corner of his mouth. The Sheikah quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand before Midna had a chance to see it. Swallowing, he looked to the apple in his hand, turning it.

"Then lets hope that we find another way to eat them. I really might get sick of eating plain apples this often. Maybe we could have them as a drink?" he joked.

"Shut up," the Twili mumbled, remembering the previous night. Link didn't say anything after that, and the Princess hoped he didn't take it rudely. Neither spoke for a while and they finished their apples in the silence they shared.

"Midna…" Link eventually broke the stillness, sun now noticeably lower than it was upon them first arriving in the amphitheater. The Twili looked to him. "Thanks for just… being there for me through all this."

The Princess didn't exactly know what to say, staring at Link for a short while. The Twili drew her gaze from him once she noticed she had been simply admiring the way the glow of Hyrule's sun cast its light upon the Sheikah. Midna suddenly pushed herself into a standing position from where she sat, Link snapping his head to the side with the unexpected movement of the royal.

"I think it's about time we go back. Zelda shouldn't be worried about the portal any longer and I'd like to finally sleep in my own bed for a change."

The Sheikah smiled at her words, standing and tossing his apple core into a nearby patch of grass. Midna did the same as Link replied.

"Let's go then."

* * *

"Things will change greatly for our realms from today onward," Zelda spoke to the two as they stood before the gateway created the previous day. "I thank you for this and all that both of you have done for our kingdoms."

"No, thank you Zelda," Link spoke. "I… would have been lost – dead even – if it weren't for your help in all this."

The Hylian smiled sorrowfully at the words of the Sheikah. "This truly is the least I could do in return for all the selfless acts you have committed. You've reached the time where happiness is finally within your grasp, so I hope you can attain it after all this suffering."

"We will," Midna spoke simply. "I'm sure of it. Are you ready?" she turned to Link. In response he nodded and the Twili took a deep breath, stepping towards the portal with Link following her actions. He glanced over his shoulder to the Hylian that watched them go.

"See you later," Link spoke to Zelda, who nodded in reply. She knew this was best for them; best for all now the broken past was finally mended and an era of peace was on its way.

So once more Link and Midna stepped into the realm they had come to call home.

* * *

 **A/N: In case you didn't see the notice on my profile page (that I have now removed) I'm just going to say that I was an idiot and spilled tea all over my computer just the other day, causing it to immediately shut off. Long story short, I got it back up and running (seemingly) fine right now. Close call! (Also, FF's site seems to be having troubles again. Joy. -_-)  
**

 **Anyway, I know this chapter was going to be long, but I didn't expect it to be over 10,000 words… so sooooooorry about that…? I guess. :P**

 **I really like writing "vision-like" scenes since I get to let my imagination run wild. Could I just do a whole story of random visions? I was actually listening to _Puella in somino_ from the _Madoka Magica_ OST on repeat the entire time when working on the vision scene parts.**

 **Also, the "cider" Midna was drinking is some ill-made hard cider that contained rotting apples, hence the foul taste (and cheap price poor Telma got it for). I thought I'd clarify that since it seems 'Murica is really the only country that refers to fermented cider as "hard cider" and I have no idea why. ._. I just really felt like writing something a bit amusing after the seriousness that's happened over the course of the story. Anyway, you have no idea how much I wanted to make Link get drunk and stand on the table in Telma's bar; rocking out on a pitchfork as if it were an electric guitar while _singing about a nautilus_ (try getting that mental image out of your head) but that wouldn't exactly work since they don't have the concept of "rocking out on a guitar" in Hyrule, now do they?**  
 **…Phoenix, you know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb because we had that discussion and you know it. :P**


	25. Gaudium in Veritate

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

 _Gaudium in Veritate  
_ "Joy in Truth"

* * *

For the first time since it all began, they entered the Twilight Realm peacefully and at ease. No tumbling, no shouting, no stress – almost no stress that is. They still had plenty to do now in this world; letting its residents know of the existence and connection with that of Hyrule.

The Twilight Princess and Sheikah stood where the Mirror once deposited travelers that crossed from one realm to another, looking out over the grounds before the palace. At a glance they didn't see anyone in the open as of now, the time being that of evening in the Twilight Realm - even if the light never changed in this world.

Midna turned to Link, eyes widening as she scanned him. The Sheikah was shocked at her expression and looked over himself, still in the knights' tunic from Hyrule. The painfully dark lines on his skin – that had slowly faded to lighter streaks in the world of Light after his trial – now looked vastly different from anything they had before. In the Twilight they faintly glowed like Midna's markings, a touch of teal blue on Link's otherwise lightly tanned skin. The designs had become almost nonexistent in the Light realm, but something about the shine of Hyrule's counterpart world made the lines no longer painful or sorrowful, but instead beautiful and actually quite elegant. They almost looked like the symbols that adorned the Twili, albeit the geometric designs on the Sheikah were a touch different.

"Link! Midna!" A small voice shouted, causing the two to turn their gazes in the direction of the cry. They spun about to see Aralie rushing up to them. The little Twili threw herself towards the ones who had left the world of Twilight to what them seemed like only short weeks ago, even if they were filled with many events. Both the ruler of the realm and the Sheikah who accompanied her reached out to catch child. She began to sob in the arms that held her. "You left so suddenly. I was worried. I didn't want to be alone again!"

"Shh… It's okay. We're back, and we won't go again without letting you know first, okay?" Midna comforted the girl, setting the child on her own feet once more. After a few moments Aralie pulled away, wiping her tears as she looked to the ruler of her kingdom that squatted at the child's level.

"Thank you Midna. And…" the girl drifted, getting a good chance to finally look over Link for the first time since their arrival. "What happened?" her voice had the slightest bit of worry but her expression one of curiosity, not fear. Link smiled to her sadly and squatted down to be on eye level of the young Twili. Her own eyes widened when she saw Link's.

"Aralie, I'm well. I might look different, but I'm still me, okay?"

In response Aralie smiled. "You just look kinda funny. More like a Twili, but not really."

"I… guess I do," Link replied. He thought back to Midna's tale of how the Sheikah slowly changed over time, few features becoming more like the Twili he knew and less like the Sheikah they were. With that thought came another. Everything wasn't quite over yet.

"I've gotten _much_ better with the slingshot this time, I promise! And I even carry around some rocks so I don't have to look for them!" the girl said, suddenly showing off the items she spoke of and snapping Link out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Aralie, but we have a lot to do. Could we play later?" Midna spoke as she drew to her full height once more. The Twili child gazed up, smile slipping from her face.

"Okay, but promise you'll play later?" she asked with understanding reluctance.

"Maybe tomorrow," Link responded, smiling to the child. "Get more rocks in the meantime. You don't want to run out when you do end up showing us."

"Yeah!" the girl was enthusiastic once more, turning around and running back the way she had came. Link stood next to the Princess, meeting her eyes with a smile for the briefest moment before shifting his gaze towards the direction the girl sped off in. It seemed some Twili had entered the open with the shouts of the child from shortly before. Upon seeing Midna and Link, they rushed to their sides, bombarding the two with questions.

* * *

The excitement from their return had died down for the moment and now Midna and Link stood before the heads of the various houses. Another impromptu meeting of sorts similar to what had come to pass right before their departure was currently being held.

"So you say that there is now a permanent connection to the world of Light once more?" Senja asked after Midna finished her explanation of what had come to pass in Hyrule, and what Link had now fully become.

"Yes, and it is known of in Hyrule as I have explained. In time and with approval here, all in both realms will know of the other's existence. I understand that this is much information at the moment, but we – I – have formed a pact with Zelda and have created an alliance. I… apologize for doing this without your consent," Midna said sorrowfully, gaze dropping. She knew it was for the best, but still feared it may not sit well with her people.

"No, we understand. You have done it to mend relations. No one could blame you. This does put more work on us, but we do not mind, Princess," Amurg spoke to consolidate the Twilight ruler.

"Yes. If you think it is for the best, then it is. You have much more experience with the Light Realm than we do. The people will be glad to know you have secured relations with those on the other side of this new gateway," Solpor followed up with. In response, a soft smile crept along Midna's face.

"Good. At some point in the near future I need to relate all this to Zelda and finalize everything. When that time comes Link and I will go to Hyrule once more, confirming with the Princess about our agreement. From there we can secure trade and more. From here on out Link will serve as ambassador, do you approve of this?"

The others looked to one another then back to the Twili and Sheikah, nodding in silent agreement. Link was in silent shock for a moment, but somehow knew the Princess would come to that decision. After all, he knew most about Hyrule out of all that lived in the Twilight Realm.

"Thank you everyone," Midna said with a sigh. "I feel terrible for all my actions… to all of you," she glanced at Link for a moment before returning her sight to the others.

"Do not, please. That is in the past. It seems you have learned from it too," Senja spoke. Midna smiled weakly.

"I suppose I have…" the Twilight Princess drifted, gaze meeting that of Link's. "I suppose we all do."

* * *

Link and Midna walked the halls of the palace in silence after the meeting; the two thinking on how things would be different now and what they did to make that a reality. They hadn't said anything to one another since the more formal words that had been spoken with the heads of the houses. After a short while though, the Sheikah broke the quiet, addressing a topic the Twili didn't see coming.

"I… I don't know what you faced when we were making the portal," he began quietly. Midna looked to him, recalling Link's face the moment his ordeal was over. She suddenly became concerned and he quickly continued, looking where he walked. "You don't need to tell me now if you don't want to, but… What I went through when facing my trial in the Sacred Grove… It was something like what I had encountered while we were creating the portal - at least what I encountered. I don't know what you or Zelda went through. Anyway, it was blackness, then a challenge of sorts. I had to find and follow the right light there. I… think I made the correct choices, though I still feel like something is wrong in a way," Link explained, not looking to Midna. "I'm… sorry I didn't tell you about it all before we created the portal again."

The Twili stopped walking, Link taking a few steps further than her before noticing the Princess had come to a halt. The Sheikah paused as well, turning to face her nervously. Suddenly fear gripped him over the worry that he had said something wrong; that there wouldn't be the rewarding feeling of happiness with truth just as he had learned and instead fear and pain would take its tight hold.

Eventually, Midna shattered the stillness of the halls in which they stood, turquoise glow of the markings on the black stone illuminating her genuinely understanding and caring face.

"No, it's alright. I… if it felt like I was forcing you to tell me, or being pushy about it, I'm sorry. It's true that it might have been easier if you did… but that's in the past. We can't do anything about it now except learn, but I suppose we already know that, don't we?" Midna smiled a bit weakly, struggles still fresh in her mind. Not a moment later she shoved the thoughts aside, taking up a more lighthearted tone. "Anyway, there's still plenty to be done even though it's getting late. I need to give some sort of address to my people to let them know all is well. I'll elaborate on everything later, but I can't keep them completely in the dark," she spoke, once more falling into step and making her way down the passage, smiling at Link as she passed him. The Sheikah matched her pace, he yawning as the two continued, darkened thoughts dissolving with each stride.

"Yeah, and I'm tired," Link spoke as he finished his yawn.

"Get some rest then, okay?"

"But you said –" Link began, snapping his head to the side to meet her gaze as he spoke, but she cut him off.

"Yes, I know. You're tired though and we both know that will only make things harder. Get some rest. There isn't much to do anyway."

He stared at her for a few moments then sighed. He was glad they were like this, more open in a way even if they held a secret or two more.

"Yeah. See you later," he mumbled, walking away with the knowledge of what remained on his mind.

* * *

Midna was exhausted once her people finally let the Princess depart, having bombarded her with even more questions than their initial arrival after she finished the vague address to her subjects. She tiredly made her way to her chambers, letting personal thoughts roam her mind now that she did all she could at the time with regards to her country. All she had left to think on now had to do with Link. She figured tomorrow might be best to address that though, he obviously tired from earlier - as was she.

With a sigh she set her hand on her door; the stone sliding aside and letting the Twili enter. The Princess groggily made her way through her room, trying to prevent her eyes from completely shutting before she could flop onto her bed. Just as she was about to fall forward, the Princess caught herself at an unexpected sight.

Curled up at the foot of her bed like a dog - no, a wolf - laid Link.

The Twili was in shock for a moment, not expecting him to be here. Though even with exhaustion it didn't take Midna long to realize that her room was the closest destination from when they departed earlier. In addition to that, the Sheikah hadn't slept in his own chambers for quite some time. He was probably too tired to notice where he'd ended up, not even bothering to change back into his Twili robes and still wearing the knight's tunic from Hyrule.

Exhaustion taking hold of her, Midna couldn't stand for much longer. She didn't want to disturb Link's obvious contentment, so she let herself slide to the floor, resting her arms on her bed with her head atop them as she looked to the Sheikah. The Princess could have sworn his ear twitched the slightest, but that might have been her tired mind.

A sudden temptation to pull out the Shadow Crystal and transform Link into his other shape briefly overtook her, but Midna surprised the urge. Although he looked like a wolf from how he rested, he wasn't one, no matter how much she wanted to give him a scratch or two on his sleeping head. She could do that in this form, even if it did irritate him.

A small smile slid across her lips as her eyes drifted closed, and before she knew it, Midna was asleep.

* * *

Link blinked his eyes open, seeing Midna sitting asleep on the floor, head resting on the edge of the bed. Suddenly, the Sheikah realized where he was, silently scolding himself for taking a nap in Midna's room and not his own; making the Princess sleep on the ground even though previously he promised he never could do that.

Although he was upset at himself, he couldn't stay that way for long. It almost seemed as if she was smiling in her sleep, and in response Link couldn't help but have the same expression adorn his own features. He watched her in peace for a while, not realizing just how much time had passed, or what hour of the day it was. He felt he might have slept the whole night, exhaustion from earlier events and discussions having been relieved from his rest. Reluctantly, he decided to leave her, knowing that it wasn't right to stay here now that he was well. The Sheikah reached out, wanting to brush aside a strand of her fiery hair that had fallen in front of her face, but he stopped, drawing his hand away a moment later. He didn't want to wake her, but knew he needed to talk with the Princess at some point soon. Link thought that would be best to do when she had awoken of her own accord.

Carefully as to not disturb her, the Sheikah got up and silently walked to the door, giving one last over his shoulder at the Princess before leaving and making his way down the hall towards his own room. He wondered what the future would hold for him now that he no longer was bound to something in the past. Link wasn't entirely sure what he would do from here on out, but he knew one thing for sure - that was he wanted to see Midna happy.

…Even if that meant he may never know if he could give her happiness.

With a sigh, Link sat at his desk once he arrived in his own room, letting the soft glow of the walls illuminate a blank piece of paper he stared at. Just the sight of the parchment made him recall his parent's letter, word for word. For the most part, everything was over. The Sheikah – now Twili – and Hylians once more connected. He and Midna sharing the knowledge that they care deeply for one another, but…

"Link…"

He shot a glance over his shoulder at the call of his name from the Twilight Princess, she somehow having opened his door and standing in the threshold without him hearing. Link didn't understand how that was possible with his heightened senses, but maybe he was too wrapped up in his thoughts to even register her presence.

"Are you okay?" she asked with genuine concern. The Sheikah let out a breath, standing from his seat as she approached, he too taking a step towards her.

"I'm fine," he replied with a smile. "You just started me."

"I thought I couldn't do that anymore," she grinned back, but the expression slipped from her face a moment or two later. "Hey, Link… I actually want to talk to you about something."

He was frozen for a moment or so, concerned about her sudden seriousness. The Sheikah hoped that she didn't notice, and Link acted as if nothing bothered him, sitting on the edge of his nearby bed. Midna walked up to him in silence, standing next to him for a second before coming to rest by the side of the Sheikah. She met his red eyes, he returning the gaze.

They were silent for a time. Matching irises simply looking into those of the other, ones that had witnessed more than anyone should have to endure. They had been through so much: Midna, usurped from her throne and cast from her kingdom; the two of them cursed to walk the worlds they once knew in bodies foreign to them; and Link, past threatening to prevent a future. The two had to suffer far longer than they deserved, but now they were ready to embrace a time of peace they had craved for far too long. Midna finally began to speak.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done and everything you've had to go through because of me. I know I've said that already, but I am."

"Midna –"

"Link, listen." She reached for his hand, taking it in hers. Link's eyes darted to where she kindly held before greeting the sight of the Princess once again. "It's… I also faced a choice when we were creating the gateway. It… had to do with the Fused Shadows and my ancestry. You might have noticed after we finished making the portal that the dark magic of my tribe was gone… and it is - well, sort of. I guess you can say it's the portal now, magic of the Light Spirits and magic of the Twili. Light and Shadow combined to not make darkness, but knowledge. That is, if we know what to do with it, and now we do…" her voice drifted and Midna looked to their hands, letting go unexpectedly. "Anyway, that's a secret that I feel you should know. Even though we've been in the presence of the other, it seems like we've been keeping a lot of things hidden for quite a while. I'm just… glad I got to let you know that, and have you listen," she finished, looking to his hand again and contemplating if she wanted to hold it once more, yet the Princess feared of making the Sheikah feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, it truly felt good to get that out in the open and she hoped he wasn't worried by it. To reassure him she continued.

"In my ordeal, I learned for a fact just how hard you have struggled to do everything you can, even if you don't always succeed." Midna recalled what her ancestor had said regarding his lack of aid in the battle with the Interlopers. He couldn't do anything then. "Nothing in the past is your fault. Just know that, okay?"

The Sheikah continued to simply look at Midna, his mind thinking over every possible thing he could say to thank her for telling him, to speak words of comfort in return to her comforting him with the simple action of talking freely. Before he could say anything though, the Twilight Princess started to speak once more. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"Link… now that everything is over and the past is in the past, we're back in the Twilight Realm here and now. Things are going to be getting better, I know. So…" Midna paused and Link tentatively reached his hand out to hers, this time holding the Twili's in his own. In response she smiled the slightest, continuing where she left off.

"What will you do now? I mean, it's all over for the most part, really."

Link stared at her in silence, wondering the same. He loved her, so of course he would stay by Midna's side, thankful that he now had the opportunity to venture to Hyrule whenever he wished. The Sheikah didn't know how to put into words his thoughts, knowing that even though the two loved one another, they likely couldn't be together - he only serving in her court and acting as ambassador while she found someone else to carry on her line.

Midna bit her lip after a short time; worry building as each second passed. She wondered what could be taking him so long to think over an answer. Eventually, the Sheikah spoke.

"I'm going to stay here, with you, providing support because, well, you supported me through all this. I'll continue with my role you gave me of working with the houses, and now also act as ambassador. I'll go to Hyrule to visit for both diplomatic reasons and hopefully personal ones – if you'll let me take some time to do so. Otherwise, I'll be here, in the Twilight Realm… by your side," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and Midna smiled, letting out a breath she wasn't aware of holding. The Princess was nervous at what his response to her next words would be, but she wouldn't back out now. She simultaneously wanted to wait some time before asking, but also wished to do so at this very moment. Taking a short pause to calm herself, the Twili prepared to present the most important question she ever would.

"Thank you, Link. I was hoping you would say that, because…" she drifted for a moment. She was tempted to say the next words in her lighthearted and sarcastic manner, but knowing what had happened last time she brought up something so important, she decided against it and instead approached the topic seriously, just as she had been speaking before. The Princess took another deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart as she spoke. Midna hoped Link couldn't hear it pounding in her chest as he looked to her with confusion and concern.

"If you want, you… can be the King of Twilight. Not the Usurper, a true King… my King… So, Link, do you accept my proposal?"

She didn't realize how good it would feel to say that, asking for him to share her rule. It was even better than telling the Sheikah her true feelings, and finally all weights had been lifted from the Twili. The Princess nervously waited for his answer, heart racing almost faster than before as the seconds ticked by, taking what seemed like forever.

Link stared wide-eyed, baffled by her words. He was in shock, and the Sheikah was holding his breath without realizing it. As soon as he could form coherent thoughts, Link's mind instantly went back to the night she kissed him, realizing her nervousness and unfinished statement there could have related to this question. She very well might have been holding it in since then, her feelings for him going back for much longer than he thought, he realized, if she was truly prepared to ask about something as serious as marriage.

The Sheikah let out the air in his lungs as he slid his hand from hers, eyes drifting to the ground before him. Midna was tempted to speak, but held her tongue out of fear of saying the wrong thing. She recalled Zelda's warning about the risk of taking a step forward with him, and only after voicing her thoughts aloud did she realize this was far too soon to ask a question such as the one she brought up.

Before he could say anything directly addressing her query, Link knew he needed to tell the Princess something even he hadn't been able to fully understand. The Sheikah didn't want there to be problems later on, no matter his answer and no matter the fear he had to face in this moment. Even if getting the words out might be painful, he was sure that at least some happiness would follow – some reassurance that no matter what, she would still love him. That's all he cared for, nothing else.

He took a breath, summoning the courage he was blessed with before speaking.

"King… Midna, I…" the Sheikah drifted, voice shaking from surprise and awe. From what the Interloper had told him in the trial, he knew he had to face the fact that she was a royal Twili and he was not, and how their differences would hurt their relationship and all those connected to them in any way. Link took a deep breath before continuing, eyes not meeting hers. "The magic of the Twilight Realm changed the Sheikah… As far as I know… I can't… We…" Link drifted. He wasn't sure how to say this, not only the subject being a bit awkward for him, but afraid of what she would think of him for it.

His face contorted with the pain of sadness. "If the two of us are together… your kingdom…" the Sheikah drifted, taking a few breaths to compose himself. Link could no longer keep secrets, and he knew that. Distancing himself from the woman he loved, and who loved him in return, only made things so much more painful. He desperately hoped this wouldn't wound her more, it already agonizingly painful to him.

Midna grew more and more fearful about whatever he had to say with each passing moment of tension. She'd never seen Link this worked up over something. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the Princess was truly terrified, wishing she could somehow rewind time and retract her statement as to not see him hurt like this.

"I-I… more than anything I just want to be by your side, to see you happy, but… I'm probably useless for the role you want me to take up. Because of me, because of who I am in comparison with you… It's likely you won't be able to pass on the crown. You… need to find someone else for, well, _that_ ," Link finished, still not meeting her gaze and his face the slightest bit red, even with the turquoise glow of the walls illuminating it.

Midna grit her teeth at his words, fearing this whole time that he would deny love with the idea of commitment; instead he had some other absurd notion she couldn't even begin to comprehend. The Princess had never wanted to slap some sense into someone as hard as she did right now.

"You idiot!" She screamed; Link's head snapped up and his eyes widened in shock, not expecting the sudden outburst. "Is that really the reason why you acted so strange? Even after everything we've gone through? We've been side-by-side for so long and you're only telling me this now? Thank the Goddesses you didn't have the Triforce of Wisdom or I think we all would have been doomed!" she threw up her hands. Link scooted away from her, fearing she might inadvertently – or intentionally – strike him but knowing subconsciously that she would never do that. His instinctual reflexes got the better of him – at least for a moment – and he shifted out of her arm's reach, only to fall onto the floor and land on his back upon reaching the end of his seat. Although he expected some sort of disagreement or anger from Midna, he didn't predict this of all things.

"I-I didn't want to hurt you. I only found this out in the Sacred Grove," he explained nervously as he grasped for words, voice shaking as he pushed himself to a sitting position.

"Not being yourself is what hurt most!" she exclaimed. Link knew that from what had occurred over the recent past, it only concretely making sense in his conscious mind when she spoke, confirming it all. "And when it comes to my kingdom, I don't care about it! I only care about us!"

After the words left her lips Midna realized just how self-centered she sounded. Link continued to stare at her in shock, mouth hanging open. She rapidly continued. "Of course I care for the wellbeing of my realm, but Link, I care for you too." Midna had calmed herself some, looking to the Sheikah sorrowfully. "If you think you aren't worthy for some stupid reason such as that, you're wrong."

"But your lineage… If... we... who's going to carry on the powers bestowed to the ruler of the Twili?" he replied haphazardly, still on the ground.

"The only special powers the ruler of the Twili possessed were the ability to utterly shatter the Mirror of Twilight and to use the Fused Shadows to their full potential. With the Mirror gone and the Fused Shadows now turned into a portal, the bloodline is really the least of our worries."

"But we can't be selfish. _Someone_ will have to rule after—" Link was cut off as Midna interrupted him.

"We'll adopt Aralie."

"What?" he wasn't quite sure if he heard that right. Midna's face softened and she reached her hand out. He took it almost tentatively and she pulled him up, letting the Sheikah sit next to her before the Princess continued seriously.

"Link, she needs a family. Her house provided one without hesitation, but she's very close to you… and although she's quite young, the girl possesses knowledge about how the Twilight Realm works thanks to her mother having been a house leader."

The words Midna spoke immediately relieved the Sheikah, knowing that the Twili child would have a family once more. Something he never fully gained after his father died. No, it was something he had only obtained within the past year, with Midna. A harsher thought took hold once more.

"I'm sorry. That I might never be able to give you… a child of our own," he remembered back to what the Hero's Shade had shown him. The happy and carefree love between the Princess and Hero of old; the infant and the affection on the mother's face when her eyes rested on her baby.

"None of that matters to me, and it doesn't mean I still can't love you," she spoke, sorrowful smile on her face. "I'm hoping that also means that you'll still love me. Link, after all we've gone through, our love is so much deeper. All I need for my happiness is yours. I love you for _who_ you are, not _what_ you are or what you can give me. Wolf, Hylian, Hero, Sheikah – none of that matters. The only thing I cared for on our journey was someone named Link. Someone I had shared my struggles with. That is whom I continue to love, and will forevermore. Even if our curses were never broken, you would still be Link, and I would still be Midna. I would want to stay by your side no matter what we would face, and I regret trying to prevent that from happening."

Link could relate, and finally understood both her and himself. The Sheikah had also loved the Princess as the cursed tiny imp with a pointed tooth. He occasionally even missed that small and almost cuddly form of hers.

"Besides… the Twili that became the royal family still retained much of what they were like prior to their banishment when they were still Sheikah. Our differences are not like Gorons, Zoras or anything else. It's not like we're a different species or anything. Wherever you got that ridiculous idea, it's a lie."

"Thanks Midna," Link said, relieved to know that no matter what she still cared. The Sheikah looked to his feet with a sigh. "Though I'm not sure how you know it's a lie…" he drifted. The Twili smiled, getting an idea that she hoped would lighten the mood in some way. She reached her hand out, setting her fingers on the underside of Link's chin and directing his face to hers as she began to speak with a look she hadn't ever given the Sheikah before, but hoped would work.

"Then do you want to see who's right? Since you seem so concerned about kids and if we do hope to have a child of our own one day, we have to start at some point, so why not now?"

"Y-you mean…" Link stuttered, voice drifting as he felt his face redden and heart race. Of course he loved Midna and wanted to make her happy, she seeming interested going there as of now, but the Sheikah himself wasn't sure if he was ready for _that_ at this moment. So much had happened in the past few weeks. He felt a bit overwhelmed by everything. Link pulled away and the Twili royal brought her hand back to her side.

"What? Why do you seem so nervous? Are you afraid?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"Th-that's not exactly… I… Maybe not right…" he struggled to find words, swallowing and averting his gaze from hers. Midna's face suddenly became serious.

"Hey. I was just joking, okay? I'm not ready for that either and we've got our whole lives ahead of us now. No need to rush. Right? Let's finally give our relationship a chance to work itself out in due time. Though if that's true, I suppose I shouldn't have shocked you with all this whole discussion I started."

Link looked back at her, breathing out a silent sigh of relief as his expression once more was relaxed. The Twili realized her joke was a bit cruel, especially when she recalled her own flustered reaction to Zelda's words in the Sacred Grove.

The two sat in silence for a few moments. Midna broke the quiet a short while later, realizing she had once again made the air about them awkward instead of happy.

"Anyway, no more secrets, promise?"

"Promise," he replied, smiling mildly.

"Then about earlier…" she drifted, still awaiting his answer – whatever it may be. Link had almost forgotten Midna's initial question and with the thought the smile slipped from his face, eyes widening and jaw hanging open at the realization of what it would all mean.

"I-I… It's such a big change. Not just another duty, but… Am I even qualified?"

The Princess let out a sigh, seeing he still didn't see it in the way she did. Meeting his eyes, the Twili spoke.

"You're really the only person who is. I've never been so close to anyone else in my life, and as the one who saved both my kingdom and Hyrule, I'd be honored. If anything, this will help secure relations with Hyrule because of your actions and origin there. If you can come up with an argument against that, I'd be willing to hear, but after this I doubt you can change my mind about any of it," the Twili smiled victoriously. Link's mouth twitched up in a small grin to match hers.

"And hey, you don't have to answer now if it doesn't make you comfortable," Midna told him, slightly hurt but not wanting to make Link feel any more stressed as of now. "Just… let me know one day. I mean, really the only that would change is your status. I think I've shoved about every duty I can on you at this point with ambassadorship and whatnot."

Link was silent for a few moments; smile broadening on his face. Everything she spoke made sense, and what she had said about the two of them being close… Link doubted he would ever find another person that he could feel the same way towards as he did to Midna. No one else would be able to ever understand all he went through - no one but her.

"Then… yes. All this time I've just wanted you to be happy, and I know that if you were happy, that would make me happy. We've been through so much together already, so Midna… I'll spend my life with you," Link told her, reaching out his still slightly shaking hand and holding the Twili's in his own with a smile that showed his teeth. He was glad the two of them could see this eye to eye. "Thank you… For everything."

Midna almost felt as if she could cry tears of joy, understanding now just what could make someone so happy that they would express it in a way that is normally thought of as sorrowful. After all this time they could finally be at peace.

Once he finished speaking Link felt like an idiot for his actions before agreeing to her question. He shouldn't have been so worked up over what and how Midna would think of him. It didn't matter anyway. They had found a way to be together after all they had gone through, and now the two of them shared something deeper like she herself said.

"Well… I never expected I would end up ruling a kingdom with you, to be honest," Link spoke nervously, eyes leaving hers as he looked to their hands. "I only wanted your happiness. I-I thought that maybe you wouldn't want me if…" he drifted. It was coming out all wrong. Midna smiled at his struggle, knowing she could help his unease with her words, and calm her racing heart from his acceptance to her proposal.

"What? Why wouldn't I want you? Are you using that as an excuse since you're just afraid 'King' is too big of a title?"

The Sheikah looked up to her with the lighthearted and rhetorical questions of the Twili.

"Think you can't handle the job? Link, you've been everything from a seamster to a swordsman. Oh, did I forget to mention _Hero_? Or how about a member of my court? Anyway, don't worry. You've got me, and as we both know, you can't get anything done without a little help, especially when it comes to emotional stuff," she joked as she playfully punched him in the shoulder, smile turning into a full on grin, a little chuckle escaping her lips. Link couldn't help but let out a small laugh himself with her words.

As the sound of joy faded Midna looked over the Sheikah before her, wondering just how much the Twilight Realm would change him now that he wouldn't have to suffer the risk of death or agonizingly quick transformation. The glow of the markings that had previously plagued him was already one thing, but she was in a way excited to see what he would come to be. Through all his changes, it didn't matter how much more different Link became, or what he looked like. Midna would still love him, just as he did to her.

The eyes of the Twilight Princess caught the scar on Link's elbow from the moment they tumbled into her realm together. Midna's face saddened at the sight. Although she had tried her best to keep the mood bright, she was hurt at what she saw, memories of the suffering they endured flashed through her mind. The Twili extended her hand, gently setting her fingertips on the remnants of the wound. She bit her lip at the injury and Link's face looked to hers concerned. Midna was worried, all these scars of his that Link would have to carry the rest of his life. His past would never leave him alone.

"Link, I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me. I've made so many mistakes…" she drifted sadly, her face pained. Even though more than anything she wanted to be happy right now – especially because she knew everything would only get better from here on out - Midna couldn't help and think of everything she regretted that the Twili had put Link through. She felt terrible about how she had distanced herself from him over their journey, acting as if she could care less about his safety. In turn he had later put space between them once again. Both did so as not to hurt the other, but unintentionally caused so much more pain and suffering.

Earlier thoughts slipped from the Sheikah's mind when he saw the concern on the Twili's face. His own countenance became serious in response to hers.

"Midna, please just stop blaming yourself. None of this is your fault. You did everything you could, and I did too. Now we made it here together." The Twili drew her gaze from the scar to look at Link's face. For a moment the Sheikah didn't know what to say, but soon a thought came to mind - something he wished to pass on to Midna from what he'd learned. "When it comes to scars, each of them tells a story. I'm never going to forget my past because of these, or any of our ancestry either. That's a good thing. It's something we can learn from to prevent a harsh future just as Zelda said. I think I finally understand the full truth now: secrets aren't meant to stay in the shadows forever. They need to meet a light at some point," he spoke.

Midna smiled sadly at him, and then proceeded to bring her hand back to her side, looking at the markings along her skin that symbolized the Twili. With Link's words she was also able to fully and concretely grasp the lesson regarding the apples that Zelda had attempted to teach her. They each knew about their condition; they knew what would one day happen from what had done so in the past that had in turn brought them into existence. She should have seen not only the cycle during the creation of the portal, but this too - understanding and knowledge. For some reason though, she was unable to come to that conclusion at the time, Link miraculously making it obvious to her right now in the moment the two shared.

The Princess sighed and looked to the Sheikah kindly, no longer concerned.

"Thank you, and Link, you mean so much to me. After everything we've gone through, I don't want to risk losing you again and I'm so happy you feel the same and are willing to be by my side. Yes, I know I've said this before, but I love you," she smiled, teeth showing. Suddenly her expression became serious and the slightest bit disgusted. "Goddesses, that sounds so _sappy_."

He looked to her happily for a moment in response to her last few words, then his expression changed to sorrow as memories of their struggles surfaced in his mind with her prior statement.

"I understand and… Well, since we aren't going to be keeping secrets anymore…" Link decided to bring something up that even he hadn't wanted to accept in order to show her he really did mean everything – that they would be truthful. "Anyway, before I really knew you, I thought I would live a quiet life after it was all over, but at some point, I found you meant so much more to me than just an accomplice. I'm really not sure when that was to be honest, but on our journey when Zant stole the Fused Shadows and especially during the final battle when…" he drifted, the thought painful. The Sheikah didn't realize his emotions when recalling the past could drag him down so quickly, but he needed to get it out, knowing that he would feel relieved once it was in the open. A moment or so passed before he continued as Midna waited patiently.

"I-I had thought Ganondorf killed you. During that fight," he took a deep breath in an attempt to stop his voice from shaking. "I… was so afraid without your presence. I felt truly alone for the first time since I met you. I didn't know what to do and I wondered if I would die and if it would really matter anyway… but I knew Hyrule and Zelda needed me to be the Hero. I…" Link's eyes were watering. He averted his gaze from hers. The Sheikah had been keeping things like this from her, and felt terrible for it, yet he didn't want to scare the Princess. This was all so much like his first reveal to her regarding the pain he'd endured from his changes. This time though, instead of physical, it was emotional.

Midna knew his words were a struggle. She had no idea exactly how much turmoil his emotions had put Link in.

"It's okay," she spoke, carefully reaching out an arm and drawing him into a hug from the side. Link let her, leaning into the shoulder of the Princess. "We have each other, here and now. No more sadness and no more pain. We have this happiness we so desperately deserve after what we've gone through, so please… Please just embrace it Link… I don't like this. How we are right now, I mean. I don't want it to be this way any longer. I've had enough of it all. We can be happy. Together. That's all I've ever wanted this whole time, and now I know it's what you've wanted too… and we can finally have that."

He returned her hug, whispering in the ear of the Twili.

"Thank you Midna. Thank you."

They held each other in silence for a while, until Link's breathing was no longer shaky. She pulled back from him and he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, ridding himself of the tears that threatened to fall.

"Know that I love you," she said with a smile. "And nothing can ever prevent that. Even if I were still cursed I would remain by your side knowing you wanted to be there with me."

The Princess reached her hand to his face, setting it on Link's cheek as a small smile curved at the edges of his lips in response to her touch. A brief memory from upon entering Gerudo Desert came to her mind with the action, the Twili recalling the smile on his face after she placed her then tiny palm on the once-Hero's cheek upon revealing a fragment of her people's history. "Though I suppose that should be obvious now, considering what I've already told you," Midna said, referring to her proposal and his acceptance to it. She smiled with the thought, heart fluttering upon knowing that they had come so far from their initial reluctant yet necessary alliance.

Link's face still held the weak smile he showed her with the Twili's words and actions moments ago, but the Princess knew it still wasn't true joy in his expression; his mind probably still plagued by darkened thoughts that clung to it. Midna was tired of all these solemn moments interrupting their happiness, and frankly a bit upset about them as well. She missed the carefree humor they used the share before all this, as well as the jokes they would make.

"Stop being Mr. Mopey," the Twili said, now grinning as she abruptly threw her arm around his neck, using the other hand to ruffle the bangs of the Sheikah. Link let out a little yelp of surprise at her sudden actions, but after a moment he relaxed in her grip, relieved knowing that she was back to her normal self, as was he for the most part.

"Now that the trouble is over and when it's not serious, our relationship is always going to be like this, isn't it?" the Sheikah sighed. Link secretly enjoyed it though.

"What? You don't like being treated this way? How else is it going to be?" she replied with questions, releasing him a moment later. The Sheikah shook his head to straighten his bangs and smiled to Midna – no, his fiancée – as an idea came to mind. The Princess grinned back. Suddenly, Link leaned forward, slipping his hand beneath her hair and resting it at the nape of the Twili's neck as he brought their lips together. The two savored the moment, it somehow different than the night they confessed to one another in Hyrule. Neither could place why, too absorbed in the action itself to process thoughts. Yet before they knew it, the kiss was over, their faces still close after their lips parted. They looked into the eyes of the other with silence surrounding them. A moment or so later, the Link broke the stillness.

"What? Sheikah got your tongue?" he joked with a grin, meaning it partially in the literal sense. He was surprised at his own actions but didn't let it show, even though his heart was racing. From her reaction he was a bit fearful that Midna didn't like it, having never initiated a kiss himself and not knowing whether or not what he did was right. He didn't let his worry show though, instead displaying confidence.

Midna hadn't expected him to make that sudden move, but was pleased with it nevertheless. The Twili slowly brought her hand to her mouth, setting the tips of her fingers to her lips. A smile curved across her face, and a moment later she began to laugh, wide grin displaying on her face as the chortle that accompanied it quickly became louder - all while Link stared in confusion.

"W-why are you laughing so hard?" the Sheikah stuttered, taken aback by her actions as he scooted away from her the slightest, shaking his head in confusion. Link didn't expect that after what they had shared, and frankly didn't know _what_ to expect, never having done anything like he had before. Either way, her response wasn't what he would have anticipated. In a few moments, Midna had managed to calm herself enough to speak.

"You are so childish!"

"I'm not childish!" he denied outright, suddenly recalling memories of their conversations only a few months after entering the realm; their playful dialogue so very similar to what they spoke now, and it was all so very right. Exactly how it should be between them. Exactly how it would be from now on.

"First you can't tell me your feelings, then when you do you're too afraid to face them. Finally, you almost seem much to eager to show me only a taste, but when I had offered something more – although jokingly – you ended up turning it down. You're like an indecisive child!"

Link pouted. He felt a little hurt from her words, but after a short time he couldn't help but join in with her laughter that had now continued - their familiar chortles drifting in the air about them. Now that they were truly free of worry and secrets, the two finally attained the beginning of a long deserved time of peace and happiness.

They had one another, knowing that the other cared deeply - and that is all that had ever mattered.

* * *

 **A/N: Once more, a sappy chapter! I feel like I've tried to cram too much into this (again). I wish I took more time to develop things, but yay... deadlines... -_- Anyway, now all that's left is the epilogue! :3**


	26. Viva la Vida, pro Cras es Noster

**Epilogus**

 _Viva la Vida, pro Cras es Noster  
_ "Live your Life, for the Future is Ours"

* * *

Midna awoke happily to witness Link's peaceful expression while he lay deep in slumber before her. The Twili was overjoyed to see him that way, even if the sight happened to be a common one as of now - the two closer than they had ever been before. Thinking back on what he was like in the past, she could see that the Sheikah had changed slightly more from his extended time in the world of her – of _their_ – people.

The lines on his skin that had a soft blue glow upon first entering the realm still remained, and if anything, had become a touch more noticeable. It was unlikely Link's image would change more than this, as he still retained Hylian characteristics such as his pointed ears. His skin, however, now had the lightest touch of a bluish tinge to it - almost nonexistent really - and that could be attributed to the lighting in the Twilight, as the color seemed to disappear at times when the two ventured to Hyrule. In addition to those alterations, probably the most prominent difference from his appearance upon first entering the Twilight Realm after the Mirror was shattered is that currently his once dirty blonde hair had become a striking copper tone. It now appeared to have a beautiful, almost metallic, sheen. Link had grown it out a bit as well after Midna told him just how much she liked the color. Since then he kept it bound in a short ponytail with the shackle she had previously worn hers in. The object was a gift the Twili gave her husband on their first anniversary.

Midna still couldn't believe they had been married for well over a year, a few short weeks shy of two. After they had agreed to share the rule of the Twilight Realm, their relationship progressed much more smoothly than before as they began to reveal all that they kept hidden. After far too long the two were finally free of secrets as well as anything else plaguing them from the truth – the truth that they simply wanted one another to be happy, and in turn their own happiness from that of the other's.

Thinking back to the most joyous day of her life, Midna recalled their wedding. The event was a simple occasion that combined the customs of the Twili with the setting of Hyrule. The ceremony took place in the Mirror Chamber that held so many memories for the both of them. The secondary portal Zelda spoke of with her council had been opened up at that location thanks to the powers of the rulers of Light and Twilight, drawing magic from their ancestors to be used together on good terms. It provided the backdrop to the matrimony of the two and only a select few people were present to witness the union of the Twilight Princess and her Sheikah hero. The heads of the houses along with Aralie for members of the Twilight Realm attended, and as for the Hylians present, Telma, Colin, and Zelda were the only guests.

At the beginning of her initial journey into the Light realm, the then Twilight Princess hadn't expected to ever fall in love - her sharp attitude somewhat off-putting to most. Even though she had good relations with her subjects, she felt as if none would ever be able to get involved with her romantically, so in turn Midna never thought she would develop intimate feelings towards someone. But after everything she went through… it all changed. She found that being in the shadow of one from another world opposite her own for so long only made the Twili realize that light wouldn't be bright without darkness to contrast it, and a shadow couldn't be cast without the glow of light. In a way it seemed they were destined from the start. Midna felt like an idiot when she finally came to that realization, it being only recently. The Twili wished she had done so sooner as to not deal with all the subsequent problems that arose from her actions of breaking the initial portal between worlds. But that was in the past, and now she fully understood what she had learned from it.

Since the two promised to be free of secrets, Link and Midna had a happy and loving relationship – still full of her typical amusing antics of course. The Twili had to make up for what they missed out on when their status was far from ideal. What they shared now though was exactly how she always wanted it to be, and their adopted daughter was so very happy to have parents again. In the recent past Link had told Midna he hoped the girl could have a sibling, something she had learned the Sheikah wanted when he was younger. The Queen felt the same way, having been an only child as well. She smiled with the thought, curious as to what a child of their own might look like; traits from the world of Light and those of her people combined.

Link's eyelids slowly opened, and the Sheikah's expression became one of happiness upon waking up to the sight of the woman he loved as she smiled back at him. A moment later her husband reached his hand out, taking that of his wife's and intertwining their fingers. Link brought his face close to Midna's and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose, then drew back, looking her in the eyes that matched his for a moment, recalling what he was like before, and what he was now. She quietly chuckled with his action and he scooted closer.

"Good morning, Twilight Queen," he whispered, breath warm as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

"Good morning," Midna replied with a grin, although she knew he couldn't see her happy expression at the moment. "We have a pretty big day ahead of us."

The Sheikah abruptly pulled his hand from her grasp and threw his arm over the form of the Twili, drawing her into a tight hug from the side. Ignoring her words, Link mumbled something that brought with it many memories.

"I'm not letting you go."

With that simple statement, Midna recalled the instant that began their struggle to be together. Everything since that moment flew through her mind: she shattering the Mirror, Link becoming ingrained into the Twili society, the night he began to change, their journey to the world of Light as well as Link's decision there, the confessions they shared beneath the star dotted sky of Hyrule, the distance worming its way between them after that, and finally the ordeal the two faced that helped fully bring them together once more. The Twilight Queen was lost in her memories and was only brought back to the present moment when she heard Link begin to quietly snore. Somehow, he'd managed to fall asleep.

Again.

Midna sighed, pulling her head back to see his face now that the embrace of her husband was looser thanks to him drifting off once more. The Twili really didn't want to get up, simply staying in his company like this… but it _was_ an important day after all.

"Link," she spoke sternly. From the corner of her eye Midna noticed the edges of his lips curve up in a smile just the slightest. At that moment she knew he was faking it from the action. "Do you _want_ me to turn you into a wolf?" the Twili sighed.

With those words his eyes snapped open and the Sheikah pushed himself away from her the slightest, face concerned as matching red eyes met.

"Please don't."

"Good. Now you're awake," she replied, not indicating either way if she would or wouldn't go through with her threat.

"So the whole point of that was to wake me up? Midna, that's just mean," he pouted. The Twili didn't let that expression of his get to her. She remained unfazed as she spoke.

"Honestly, I really can't believe that the fate of two kingdoms rested in such incapable _paws_ like yours if you'd rather sleep in than go out."

Link snuggled up to her again, pretending as if he didn't hear the Twili. His breathing quickly became even once more.

"You _do_ remember what today is, don't you?" the Queen spoke, not letting him escape into slumber that easily.

With Midna's stern utterance, Link tensed the slightest for a brief moment. The Sheikah's eyes widened as he drew back to look at her, his own expression one of shock at remembering.

"Damn it, Midna! Why didn't you remind me earlier?" he questioned, abruptly shoving himself out of the bed.

"It seems you still can't survive without me, you poor little lost wolf," she joked, propping herself on an elbow as she watched him frantically rush about. In truth, the Twili didn't want to admit she was enjoying every moment of simple company they shared together.

"Keep in mind this wolf rescued you, _and_ your kingdom," he remarked.

" _Our_ kingdom. Don't place all the blame on me. Besides, you needed my help for all that, _and_ I saved your life. The debt has been more than paid."

Both realized that their bantering was so ironically familiar considering the day.

"Shut up," the Sheikah playfully replied.

"The thought of turning you into a wolf is becoming more and more tempting with every word you say," Midna hummed a familiar tune with her statement.

"Then I will just serenade you with my howls, my dearest Queen," Link cajoled in reply, sparing a moment to give her a sarcastic half-bow. The Twili smiled, summoning the Shadow Crystal with his rebuttal. Link noticed, eyes widening.

"Are you joking again?" he questioned. She simply continued to look at him with the same expression she had when materializing the magic. "You… aren't joking?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"Hmm… I don't know. Why don't you wear your fur coat today and we can see?" she asked in a rhetorical manner as she got up, walking towards him. The Queen felt dizzy for a moment, pausing for the briefest time to let her slightly blurred vision clear. She was thankful that Link didn't seem to take notice of that though. Midna didn't want to him to be concerned.

"M-Midna, No," he spoke, backing away from her as she approached. "As useful as that form is, I don't exactly prefer it anymore."

She sighed and put away the magic. "Fine. I was joking anyway. Being a wolf in the meeting? That's far from formal."

"True," Link spoke simply in reply, letting out a silent sigh of relief with the conformation about her question being merely a jest. He wouldn't necessarily mind being a wolf, as it brought memories of both joy and pain. Link just knew if she transformed him, he wouldn't know when he'd return to his other shape, as since they had been married Midna once tricked him into thinking she wouldn't remove the transformation magic for quite some time. The Sheikah should have known better though. Of course she was just messing with him.

"Anyway, have you seen my belt?" he continued, almost prepared to leave with the exception of that single article of clothing that seemed to have been misplaced.

"Honestly, you can't keep track of your own stuff. I still wonder how you managed to make it this far," she spoke with a sigh, grabbing said item from where he had left it previously.

"Well, I did have you," her husband smiled as Midna threw the band around his waist, attempting to buckle it a moment later. She quickly gave up though, letting the Sheikah take care of the matter. Midna never understood why clothing from the world of Light had to be so complex. He still wore the robe she had given him not long after their initial tumble into the world of Twilight, but her husband continued to hold it secure with a leather strap from Hyrule, just as he had done before.

"Yes, and we still have each other," she spoke kindly; setting a kiss on his nose after Link finished fastening the waistband. Now that he was just roughly a few centimeters or so below her own height, the action was a normal expression of love passed between the two. The Sheikah even returned the Twili's initial teasing in a playful manner, ruffling her hair just like she did so to him, showing that they were no longer sorrowful and had what they did – and more – a few years past.

Link smiled yet again with her loving gesture and Midna returned the grin.

* * *

Once they had quickly prepared for the day, the two left the palace to find Shad out in the open with Aralie. The Hylian and Twili were standing near to where the Mirror once resided, but now the portal created by the Fused Shadows occupied the location. The scholar had finished his studies in the City in the Sky that Telma had mentioned a few years past, and now the spectacled man was currently spending much of his time in either the Hidden Village or Twilight Realm in hopes of unearthing more of the past that had been cloaked in shadows for far too long. So far his research had proven to be fruitful, as he had found information and artifacts belonging to Link's mother in the secluded village. The Sheikah was grateful, learning more of his past and that of the race he was now a part of.

Once the diplomatic matters had been resolved between the two worlds not long after the creation of the portal, tourism and travel were addressed. Hylians weren't able to stay for extensive periods of time in the twilight, as no one knew what would happen to them, Link and Midna fearing that they might suffer some sort of ill effects. For the same reason, Twili that had very little or no magic were restricted to limited times they could be in the other world. But slowly, they were beginning to push the boundaries on both sides and so far there had been no negative incidents.

Upon seeing her adoptive parents, Aralie immediately ran up to the royals with a bright and happy expression on her face.

"Shad told me more about the Oocca! Now more than ever I want to go see them. Can I one day?"

Link smiled at the girl. "Yes. One day we can all go for a short trip to visit their city, alright?" he spoke in reply. The child nodded enthusiastically to her father's words. The Sheikah had told her about them long before Shad had, but since Link didn't have extensive knowledge on their kind, he was unable to satisfy her many questions regarding the unique species. A young mind like Aralie's was always eager for more information and Link had felt bad when he'd run out of stories to tell the girl regarding his travels in the Light kingdom. Luckily though, she had gotten to see glimpses of his homeland now that it was once more connected to the Twilight Realm.

"But not today," Midna spoke; finishing Link's thought aloud for him. He turned to his wife and nodded. They'd been sidetracked long enough already and had plenty of work to do. After everything was done then they could relax. Midna could also sit down and discuss something very important that she hadn't yet had the chance to. Even though the day was young, she almost felt exhausted just from knowing what was to come. The sooner everything was over, the better.

"See you later Aralie," Link waved, following Midna who had once more begun to make her way towards the portal. The Sheikah stopped next to his wife as she gazed up to the great gateway, her sight meeting his a moment later.

"To Hyrule?" he questioned, knowing the answer from the smile she gave him.

"We can't keep them waiting any longer than we already have."

* * *

Upon their arrival the two were greeted by Zelda herself, the Hylian royal was smiling and nodding in respect as they came to stand before her.

"You seem to have just barely made it. For the others have already arrived," the Princess of the Light world spoke.

"Sorry. _Somebody_ didn't exactly want to get up this morning and just so happened to forget what today was," the Twili turned to look at Link with her playful accusation.

"If _somebody_ got me up earlier, then this wouldn't have happened," he partially joked back, voice a little louder than Midna's.

Zelda held up her hand, silencing the two. They looked at her for a second or so before the Hylian began to talk.

"You may discuss this at a later time. If you speak any louder, I believe they will hear you," Zelda's eyes glanced off to the side towards the back of the throne.

"Right," Link said in a quieter tone than his last. The Hylian turned silently and began to make her way towards the front of the grand seat, the two Twilight rulers following that of the one of Light. They entered the open area of throne room to be greeted by many familiar faces from throughout both of their journeys across worlds. Link couldn't help but smile as his sight crossed that of everyone from Darbus and the Goron Elders to King Ralis as well as the members of Zelda's court, and of course the three leaders of the houses in the Twilight Realm.

The group settled in their respective places around the meeting place and Zelda took a deep breath before addressing the various dignitaries and representatives that met over one common goal.

"It has been four years to the day where the events that had seemingly separated our realms permanently have come to pass. Thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of those who were willing to put themselves last for a time they believed indefinite, we have learned from the past and now embrace this happiness, peace, and truth as a result. Though it will not last forever, as you all know. When the day darkness falls once more, we must thank those who prepared us for it." She looked to each representative individually, meeting the determined gazes of all who attended before continuing.

"So, what of the struggles you have endured to make the knowledgeable future a reality?"

* * *

The Princess of Hyrule formally bade farewell to all the members of the summit once it had drawn to a close. Link and Midna were last, standing beneath the throne with the symbol of the Goddesses looking down on them.

"All is well. I cannot thank you two enough for everything and I am so very glad you have found the happiness that you so greatly deserve," the Hylian spoke with a genuine smile.

"Speaking of happiness, you seem to be doing pretty well on your own, but are you ever going to marry?" Midna asked jokingly with a grin. The Princess of the Light realm turned her gaze from that of the Twili to look at the Sheikah. The Queen of Twilight noticed Zelda's change in sightline. "Why are you looking at Link like that?" Midna questioned, glancing from her Light counterpart then back to her husband. The Twilight ruler pulled the Sheikah into an embrace. "He's mine, you know."

Link blushed at her words and the public display of affection Midna showed towards him, in front of the Princess of Hyrule no less. Of course their relationship had progressed much, but Link was just as shy as ever when it came to showing that in public, even around Zelda, although she knew just how deeply they cared for one another and the risks they were willing to take to have that be a reality. The Princess knew more so than anyone else did. From Midna's close proximity, the Sheikah whispered into the ear of his wife.

"And you say I'm childish."

Zelda smiled, her Hylian ears enabling her to hear quite well but of course never as sensitively as the Sheikah. She began to giggle from the words she had caught, laughter quite out of character for one as serious as she, yet soon after Midna joined, followed by Link who couldn't deny the contagious happiness spreading between them; the bond connecting the three from all they had gone through only further reinforcing their delight.

After the sound of joy died down, Midna released Link and let her sight travel up to the symbol of the Goddesses.

"I don't think we'll ever know everything," the Twili said with a thoughtful expression, bringing a topic to the table that the others hadn't seen coming.

"What do you mean?" Link asked almost in shock, not expecting the sudden seriousness after the joyful mood from moments ago.

"Why the Goddesses did what they did: creating Hyrule and its inhabitants, the Sheikah as guardians, and also blessing three with something I'm sure the two of you have thought as a curse in previous lives, if not this one as well."

"I do agree Midna. That is something that will probably forever remain a mystery," the gaze of the Hylian followed the Twili. Link looked to the great marble carving above as well. After a short time of intense thought and silence, Midna took a deep breath before speaking once more, bringing her eyes back to the others.

"Zelda, as you so eloquently said the day I shattered the Mirror, our realms really are two sides of the same coin, and a coin can't have just one side – neither can light exist without a shadow in some form. They are connected." Midna smiled, looking to the Hylian Princess and her own Sheikah husband, opposites in so many ways yet aiming for one common goal. "Even if the face of a coin can't see its rim let alone the other side, it's still there, keeping them together. Whatever the reason behind the design of the Goddesses, no matter what happens, the edge of that coin can't be worn down completely unless the goal is to inevitably destroy both sides," she said, recalling the past relationship between the two worlds, unknowledgeable about the other. The risk of evil overtaking one and the other having no way to help if they were truly separated… the thought of another Interloper War and banishment of sorts deeply frightened the Twili. "We have to keep our worlds connected, or we will forget what has come to pass, just as we did with the history of the Sheikah. Secrets aren't meant to stay in the dark forever. They must meet the light, casting shadows that will act as guideposts and if necessary, become a legend so that we do not forget them," Midna concluded, letting out a small sigh after her deep explanation.

"You said that quite eloquently yourself," Zelda replied with a genuine smile. "Nothing is ever truly lost. You just need to know where to look for it, and it seems that in this era, we have found that." The Hylian turned to Link. "You cannot have courage without knowing the pain of fear," she addressed him, shifted her attention back to Midna. "And you do not know of wisdom without first learning from your mistakes," she finished sorrowfully. Midna picked up from where the Hylian royal left off.

"Yes, and I think I've made the biggest one of all. I'm so sorry. Link, I've hurt you in so many ways, and Zelda, I've put your people through far too much."

"It is not your fault Midna. Nothing could have prevented what came to pass, as it was written in fate ages long gone," Zelda replied. The Twilight Queen knew that. No matter what she did, it would have happened. The events were far beyond her control. Midna just wished she could have done more in some way, lessening the burden that was put on others.

"Hey, stop clinging to it like it's a bad thing. The most important lesson here has been learned," Link spoke, reaching out and setting his hand on her shoulder. Midna glanced at him with a small smile, setting her own hand on that of her husband's.

"Yes, and let us hope that those who follow will take heed of it. We have done all we can in this life. Go on and live it to the fullest now," Zelda nodded with a wise and true smile.

* * *

Link stretched his arms above his head. The Sheikah was glad that the two councils and dignitaries of the other races in Hyrule only met every six months, switching between that of the Light world and Twilight Realm. He figured he would probably go insane if he had to sit through meetings that long more often than twice a year, and the little discussion with the royals following it didn't exactly help lighten the mood either. Thankfully the Princess of Light left for other duties relatively quickly compared to the meeting, ending the serious conversation but not before mentioning the date and location of their next, more leisurely, reunion. Link was looking forward to a trip to Ordon.

Now that they were alone, the rulers of the Twilight made their way to the area behind the Hylian throne where the portal resided. Evening light filtered in from the large openings in the stone wall, casting long shadows and creating a serene orange-ish glow in the quickly dimming light. Link approached the balcony, leaning forward and resting his forearms against the railing as he looked out over the beauty Hyrule on the cusp of transitioning to dusk.

Midna walked up to him, stopping next to the Hero-turned-Sheikah-now-Twilight-King as they gazed into the evening light. The hour of twilight was so beautiful in Hyrule. The Twili still wondered what came first: the name of her realm, or that of the time of day in the world of Light. Maybe she'd ask Zelda eventually; the one of Wisdom might know. For now though…

"All that went on longer than expected. At least everything is sorted out. Though it probably would have been quicker if we got around earlier," Midna said, breaking the peaceful silence - not that Link minded. They were glad to be alone now, only the company of the other's presence. After a short while, Link pushed away from the railing to face her. She smiled at him.

"Yeah, and you look pretty tired," he told her. In response to his words Midna let out a yawn. The sound was quite familiar to the two from over their journey. Shortly after the action she wrapped her arms around his neck and he brought his about her waist.

"I wonder how you could tell," she replied rhetorically with a tilt of her head. It was true though. She normally wouldn't be like this after one of these meetings, but this one was different than the others, at least for her, considering what was still on her consciousness that she had yet to share. The Queen was both excited and nervous, having kept the thought in the back of her mind for a time now.

"Well, the two of us can't keep secrets anymore, now can we?" Link chuckled with a wide smile.

Midna simply grinned in return, yet somehow differently than normal. Link tilted his head in confusion, picking up on the slight change in her mannerism. The Sheikah could tell she was hiding something, but from her pleased expression he knew it couldn't be bad.

"As for secrets, this one is worth it, so don't be worried. You'll know it soon enough anyway."

It was true that Midna had one last secret to tell him; something she herself only discovered relatively recently. The Queen couldn't wait to see her husband's face when she revealed the truth - expecting it to look exactly like it did the moment he laid eyes on her true form, but the Twili was also open to any other entertaining reaction of his. Link was full of surprises after all.

"So, back to the Twilight Realm?" he asked a moment later, pulling away from her and reaching his hand out, palm up. Midna smiled, resting her own in his. She'd tell him there, in the meantime enjoying his slight confusion and amusing expression that came along with it as he wracked his brain for a possible answer. At the same time she was a bit eager to see his reaction; positive that no matter what, Link would be happy to know Aralie would have a younger sibling in the upcoming months.

"Where else?" she beamed, smile bright and pure like that of the evening glow surrounding them.

They turned to the portal, and then let their bright red gazes meet once more. The two laughed as they gently squeezed the other's hand; their kind grip bringing with it memories of both happiness and sadness, knowing that since they understood each other now, they could courageously face whatever was to come.

So together with truth and love, they walked joyously into the Twilight.

 _ **~Finis~**_

* * *

 **A/N: My first multichapteral fanfiction has finally come to an end! :3 I can't thank you all enough for reading. (To completion nonetheless! I'm so very glad that you didn't give up on me. xD) I really hoped you enjoyed it. I had so much fun creating this story! It was definitely a _lot_ of work as well. I kept freaking out about the troubles with Fanfiction's website in addition to thinking I had bitten off more than I could chew regarding this tale. (I still think I did, especially considering this was my first ongoing fic.) I'm not entirely satisfied with the result. :/ One day I _might_ go back and do some major restructuring to much of this, but that's incredibly unlikely considering I have other things I wish to write. Lengthy stories are a big challenge for me for many reasons. I prefer to write things instantaneously as they come to my mind. Heck, this fic was originally just a one-shot I came up with after completing a three-heart run of TP, but due to interest in it continuing, I had to come with a plot in about two weeks. xD**

 **Anyway, I feel that one-shots are definitely my forte, but I _will_ be writing another ongoing fanfic for the LoZ series! \\(^o^)/ I've actually begun the outlining and planning for it, but it _will not_ be posted any time in the near future and I cannot guarantee when I will be doing so. With my current lifestyle and health I can't handle going about writing in the way I have. For my next multichapteral fic, I'm going to approach creating it _completely_ different than this one. How, you may be asking? Well, I'm not going to tell and you'll just have to wait and see. ;) If you aren't the patient type I have  over two dozen one-shots for various games in the _Legend of Zelda_ series, so feel free to check those out. (Lol, dat self promotion tho. xD)**

 **Once more, thank you for reading and see you later~ _Eee hee hee!_**


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